Williamson slams “unacceptable” defending as Shields let lead slip

Sunday 11 October 2026 · By Joel Hetherington

South Shields have been left to rue a remarkable afternoon at Macclesfield. Mike Williamson’s side led 2–0 inside 15 minutes and were 3–1 up shortly before half-time, but they ended up losing 4–3 to the new Enterprise National League North leaders at Moss Rose.

Paul Blackett, the club’s top scorer, Jordan Jones, with his first goal for the club, and Cedwyn Scott were on target for Shields. But Macclesfield fought back with goals from Kay, Borthwick-Jackson, Ustabasi and substitute Danny Elliott, who scored the winner on 68 minutes in front of a crowd of 2,767.

Williamson did not hide his frustration. Speaking to the Shields Gazette, he said: “We have scored three goals away from home and, for me, that’s more than enough to win a game.” He added: “To come away conceding four goals, it’s unacceptable, it can’t happen.”

There was an extra sting in the tale. According to the Gazette, Elliott once played on loan under Williamson at Gateshead, so it was a former player of his who delivered the decisive blow.

The defeat was only Shields’ third in the league this season, and they are fifth on 20 points from 11 games, level with Chester and four points behind Macclesfield. They have scored 18 goals, but the 17 they have conceded are more than any other side in the top six, which explains Williamson’s focus on defending. Their last five league results read won, lost, won, lost, lost.

Expectations are high at the club. Shields lost last season’s play-off final 2–0 to Kidderminster Harriers, and Ian Watson left for Rochdale on 9 June. Williamson was appointed five days later, and he will want his side to go one better this time.

The FA Cup offers an immediate chance to respond. Shields reached the fourth qualifying round with a 2–0 win at Buxton on 3 October, after which Williamson spoke of his pride in his players. They now travel to National League side FC Halifax Town on Saturday 17 October, with a place in the first round proper at stake and the chance of a giant-killing at The Shay.

Their league game against Harborough Town that day has been postponed, because Harborough are also still in the competition.

When the league resumes, Shields host Chester on Saturday 24 October in a meeting of two clubs level on 20 points. A good result there would put them right back among the front-runners.

The goals were shared around, which will please Williamson. Blackett continues to lead the way for the club, while Jones’s first goal for Shields and another from Scott suggest there is plenty of firepower to call upon. With 18 league goals already, only three sides in the division have scored more.

There is plenty of quality in this squad, as the three goals at Moss Rose showed. But if Shields are to mount a serious promotion challenge, the defensive lapses that cost them on Saturday will need to be fixed, and a trip to Halifax offers the perfect stage to show they have learned the lesson.