Newcastle Blue Star returned to winning ways yesterday, with an impressive 3-0 win over promotion rivals Easington Colliery.
A brace from Callum Larmouth and a goal from substitute Dan Lanning secured Blue Star the three points, keeping them in touching distance with league leaders Blyth Town.
‘The Star’ made the trip to County Durham looking to right the wrongs of their previous meeting with Easington, suffering a humbling 5-0 defeat when the Colliers visited Scotswood back in December.
Looking for revenge, Blue Star started the game in blistering fashion, taking the lead in the 5th minute. Larmouth would be the man to get his side in front, stealing the ball from the Easington backline and beautifully curling his shot into the far corner.
Following the opening goal, the game started to turn slightly feisty with several challenges flying in and both sets of players growing frustrated with the referee's decisions.
Blue Star’s frustrations with the referee nearly then reached boiling point in the 35th minute, as they were denied two penalties in the space of two minutes, much to the frustration of the travelling Blue Star supporters.
Just as it seemed as if Blue Star would hold onto their lead heading into half-time, Easington would have a chance to get themselves level, in the 41st minute. Their number 11 would make a smart run in behind the Blue Star backline and fire a shot destined for the bottom corner, only to be denied by a fantastic save from Aaron Steavens.
Despite all the first-half drama, Blue Star would go into the halftime break ahead on the scoresheet, 1-0.
With the wind refusing to die down, the second half would start in very cagey fashion, with neither side wanting to let anything slip.
The first significant chance of the second half would fall at the feet of Lanning, who after being played in behind by Larmouth, calmly side-footed his shot into the bottom corner to double Blue Star’s lead, in the 72nd minute.
Larmouth would then turn from provider to goalscorer in the 80th minute, latching onto a mistake from the Easington goalkeeper, to smash the ball into the roof of the net and round off an impressive 3-0 victory for ‘The Star’.