Six goals, a red card and chances galore - it was an eventful day down Scotswood as Newcastle Blue Star gained another vital three points in their race to be crowned champions of the Northern Alliance Premier Division - defeating a high-flying Newcastle Independent side 5-1.
Dan Lanning carried on his electric form grabbing the first on the 16-minute mark, with his long-range effort finding the bottom corner. Newcastle Independent then found themselves a man down after the referee confusingly sent off number four after 19 minutes.
Dean Holmes then added a second in the 29th minute, tapping in from close range. Lanning would yet again score from distance, grabbing the third on the 45-minute mark. Newcastle Independent then thought they had got themselves back into the game in the 52nd minute after number six scored from the penalty spot. Blue Star however soon hit back with two goals from Nelson Obgewe and Aaron Willoughby in the 54th and 67th minute, to clinch the victory.
Despite ‘The Star’ winning the game pretty comfortably, the pre-match predictions would have predicted a much tighter affair with Newcastle Independent only sitting two places behind Blue Star in the table, sat third before the game.
With the sun scorching down on Scotswood it was the away side who started the better of the two sides. Newcastle Independent’s number 13 had the first chance of the afternoon inside the first minute, with his mazy run resulting in him letting fly with a low driven shot but his effort would be saved smartly by Sean Mcafferty.
Despite starting sluggish Blue Star took the lead after 16 minutes with Lanning bagging himself yet another goal. In what is becoming a trademark move by the youngster, he cut in from the left-hand side on his right foot and rifled the ball into the bottom left corner.
Blue star nearly doubled their lead two minutes later when Ogbewe went one on one with the Newcastle Independent keeper, only to see his effort deflect off the post.
The game then descended into chaos a minute later as the Newcastle Independent number four was sent off after the referee deemed his challenge on Lanning to be a red card offence. Weirdly however it was not number four who made the challenge with the referee seemingly being confused at who originally made the challenge.
Blue star then started to capitalise on their man advantage and eventually doubled their lead on the 29-minute mark. Dean Holmes will be counting his blessings as following a save from the Newcastle Independent goalkeeper, the ball fell at his feet two yards from goal, leaving it impossible for him to miss.
With the away side retreating into their box following the sending off, Blue Star became more and more comfortable in the game eventually finding a third goal just before half time. As in the 45th minute Lanning would bag himself a brace with arguably one of the goals of the season. The forward let fly from around 30 yards out and saw his effort arrow into the top left corner, leaving the Newcastle Independent keeper with virtually no chance of saving.
‘The Star’ went into the break ahead 3-0 and the half-time break would see one of the Newcastle Independent managers sent off as he protested the decision that saw number four be sent off earlier in the game.
The away side seemed to re-group at half-time and got themselves back into the game in the 52nd minute when number six converted from the penalty spot after number nine was deemed to have been fouled in the box.
Blue Star then made it five with substitute Kyle Cockburn unselfishly finding Willoughby in the box and the youngster calmly slotted home.
As the game wore on the away side started to feel the effects of the sending off but their number 13 was still desperate to get on the score sheet, coming close a few times in the second half.
Following their fifth goal Blue Star started to comfortably ping the ball about for the remainder of the game, as they ran out 5-1 winners.