The Moorsiders notched up another victory this Saturday, maintaining an unbeaten run of 4 matches, when they entertained and defeated the South Shields side, Jarrow FC. The win was the narrowest of margins, 1 – 0, but against and experienced and quality side, the Moorsiders turned in a solid team performance which entertained another substantial home crowd and confirmed that when manager, Darren Rivis has the whole squad to choose from, Kirkby are most definitely a force to be reckoned with, by any of the major teams in the Wearside League. With the exception of Centre Half Ryan Davis, absent through illness, manager Rivis fielded probably his strongest strong squad for the second game in a row and, on balance of play, Kirkby were well deserved of all the points. A great run down the left from Daman Cox provided a cross and a relatively easy chance for Sarjo Cham to open the scoring after only 3 minutes but Cham blasted over from close range. With the momentum from the off, Kirkby created wave after wave of attacks. Another good opportunity came in the 14th minute. Daryl Rivis slipped Paul Round through, Round with a neat flick in turn put Daman Cox though on goal but although Cox’s clever lob beat the keeper, it was just inches too high and landed on the roof of the net. Pushing hard, the Moorsiders looked the more likely to score and, by the 19th minute, did so through a spectacular individual effort by man of the match, Paul Round. Round slipped across his defender and, on the turn, produced an unstoppable left foot power drive which slammed into the far corner of the net. Jarrow began to settle just after the goal, and a closely contested battle ensued for the remainder of the half. Centre halves Paul Hodgson and Jamie Barker remained strong and cool under pressure and midfielders Sam Lander and Andrew Hodgson did a superb job defending from the front as the Moorsiders turned everything Jarrow could muster. Round, however, did create another half chance for his self in the 33rd minute but ended up with a shot which was at too acute an angle and the well positioned keeper gathered with ease. Although goalless, the second half still proved to be an entertaining affair. Whereas the last 15 minutes of the first half belonged to the visitors, it could be said that the majority of the second belonged to the Moorsiders as they produced some of the best teamwork seen at the ground for some time. Sarjo Cham had a speculative effort zing over the bar in the 51st minute and Andrew Hodgson shot in the 54th minute produced a top drawer diving save from the visiting keeper. A clever ball from captain Alex Strickland provided an opportunity for Kirkby striker, Johnny Brown just after this but, once again the keeper held well. On the defensive, Jarrow were proving hard to break down as Kirkby pushed hard for their second. In the 65th minute Paul Round almost got away with a second power drive but a Jarrow defender intercepted with a timely diving block. Just two minutes later, Cox put a defence splitting ball through to Sam Lander but an unpredictable bounce favoured the visitors as Lander caught the ball with a glancing blow and the shot flew wide. Although under pressure, Jarrow’s defence went about their job well and began to close down the Kirkby attacks on the edge of their area. This didn’t, however, prevent Paul Round from smashing into the bar with a blistering 30 yard effort in the 73rd minute, but, when this failed to count, the Moorsiders looked to consolidate and see the game out instead. Andrew Ferguson replaced Daryl Rivis in the 75th minute, Uyi Ehima replaced Johnny Brown in the 85th, and Eddie Strickland replaced Sarjo Cham in the 90th minute. In-between these substitutions Kirkby keeper Darren Collier produced a super save to smother from a headed corner and maintain his clean sheet and the Kirkby victory.