COLWYN Bay pulled off a fantastic 4-2 home victory to end the 45-match unbeaten run of Evostik Northern Premier Division leaders South Shields.

The Tynesiders had won 44 and drawn one of those league and cup games since losing 1-0 to local rivals North Shields on November 5 last year, but they found themselves 3-0 down at half-time against a Bay side that defended superbly and struck clinically on the break.

Phill Hadland’s men are now one of three remaining unbeaten teams in the division heading into Tuesday’s clash with Hyde United, who have also yet to taste defeat.

Hadland, said: “It was a great performance and a super result and showed what we are capable of doing, but you learn in this game not to get too high over one result.

“I thought this was a very good squad performance, with the lads who came off the bench also doing a job. We got the rub of the green a little bit today, but there have been plenty of occasions when we haven’t so it evens itself out.”

“We knew South Shields would have a lot of possession and we just thought with the pace of Jack and Astley Mulholland up front we could hit them on the break – and that worked out pretty well.”

The home side went ahead on 10 minutes when Sam Barnes found the net, and seven minutes later Astley Mulholland showed his pace by breezing past a defender into the area from Danny Andrews’ headed pass and rifling a shot past visiting keeper Liam Connell.

Jack Hindle put the hosts three-up from the penalty spot shortly before the break, but the away side reduced the deficit after the break courtesy of an Alex Nicholson effort.

The points were sealed in the final minutes when Hindle notched his second of the game after good work from Will Booth, and despite another consolation for the visitors from Luke Sullivan the in-form Bay side saw out the contest in comfortable fashion.