In a match switched to the 4G pitch at the Queen Elizabeth High School in Hexham on Saturday, December 2 and played in near freezing temperatures with occasional snow flurries, the Scotswood-based visitors inflicted a ninth defeat in a row in all competitions on the hosts.

This was the only one of the scheduled 28 Northern Alliance league and cup matches to go ahead, with the games involving Haltwhistle Jubilee, Ponteland United, Wallington and Heddon United FC all postponed due to frozen pitches.

The struggling home side got off to the perfect start when a 2nd minute own goal gifted them the lead and it remained that way until 18-year-old Alex Humble scored a deserved equaliser direct from a corner on the stroke of half-time.

The visitors dominated after the break and took the lead following great work down the left from Jack Edgar. A pinpoint cross was met in the air by 18-year-old Collins Unuareopka and his header was helped on its way into the net by a defender.

Relentless pressure soon brought them a third goal through 18-year-old debutant Shay Mulligan. Edgar again did well down the wing before whipping it into the box. The initial effort was cleared off the line before being slotted home from close range by Mulligan.

Unuareopka then extended his side's lead with a brilliant solo effort. After breaking from inside his own half, he held off his man before unleashing a powerful shot past the keeper.

Dale Graham reduced the deficit with a tidy finish in the 84th minute, but it was the visitors who headed back down the A69 with all three points in the bag after securing a 4-2 win.

Hexham remain second bottom of the Reeves Independent First Division following this latest defeat and have played four more games than the teams around them in the battle to avoid relegation.

Prudhoe YC Seniors and Ryton & Crawcrook Albion also had a blank Saturday in Ebac Northern League Division Two due to frozen pitches.