Prudhoe YC Seniors winless run in Ebac Northern League Division Two stretched to eleven games after their latest defeat to promotion chasing Blyth Town at Essity Park last Wednesday night.

The hosts wasted an early opportunity following a well-worked move involving Josh Scott, Darren Graham and winger Matt Law when Law's cross was over-hit and drifted out of play.

The next 10 minutes belonged to the visitors with a string of chances created. Max Cowburn fed the ball back to Adam Johnson in space just outside the box but the winger's strike sailed harmlessly over the bar, Johnson then saw his 20 yard left-footed effort fly narrowly wide of keeper Matty Cassap's near post, and it needed a last gasp clearance in the box by central defender Brad Rogers to prevent Brandon Slater pulling the trigger with only Cassap to beat.

Against the run of play, Prudhoe YC Seniors took the lead in the 14th minute through Brad Lowes. Breaking forward at pace, some slick passing had the visitors' defence chasing shadows with Ben Dibb-Fuller and Scott linking up well before Scott set up Lowes who gave keeper Kieran Hunter no chance with a first-time strike from the edge of the box that dipped just under the bar (1-0).

After that unexpected setback, the visitors wasted several chances to get back on level terms. On the counter-attack, Johnson's inch-perfect through ball into the box found Slater who had beaten the offside trap but dragged his shot wide of Cassap's right-hand post. A few minutes later, Cowburn's angled free-kick dropped at the feet of centre forward Dan Wilson just beyond the back post but a poor first touch let the hosts off the hook.

Although Prudhoe's first corner on 26 minutes came to nothing, they were soon pressing again when the Dibb-Fuller brothers (Sam and Ben) combined well down the left and Sam's goalbound shot hit a defender's back before being cleared.

At the other end, Johnson had a shot blocked in the box and another long range effort was deflected wide for a corner.

A second Prudhoe corner was taken short and wasted, shortly before they broke at pace from well inside their own half and Sam Dibb-Fuller's final ball from the left-hand side of the box almost played in Lowes but Hunter got there in time.

Play continued to switch from end to end with the visitors next to threaten. Cowburn's free-kick was flicked on in the box to an unmarked Wilson at the back post but the striker blasted his shot high and wide.

However, the respite was only temporary as Slater equalised in the 36th minute. Following another quick-fire break down the left, the ball ricocheted around the six-yard box before dropping kindly for Slater who fired past Cassap-his 18th goal of the season (1-1).

As half-time approached, a Prudhoe counter-attack ended with Scott firing straight at Hunter and, at the other end, full back Graham was on hand to clear Wilson's close range effort off the line.

A spell of Blyth Town possession in opposition territory on 50 minutes culminated in Cowburn's shot being blocked for a corner, with the resulting delivery volleyed clear by Lowes.

On the counter, Law was tripped in full flow 15 yards inside the Blyth Town half. The resulting Ben Dibb-Fuller free-kick was only half-cleared to Rogers who saw his return effort gathered under the bar by Hunter.

The visitors came again down the right on 54 minutes and Wilson's pinpoint chip across the box picked out Johnson who had a shot blocked by Cassap with the rebound fired over by evergreen centre half Robbis Dale who will be 40 in June and continues to prove that age is just a number.

Five minutes later, a long clearance was headed on to Johnson who took a touch before rounding Cassap in the box and, after being forced wide, was about to shoot towards an unguarded net when a last ditch tackle put the ball out for a corner from which they went in front for the first time.

Full back Harry Sawyer's delivery was curled into the six-yard box and central defender Ben Fell was in the right place to bundle the ball over the line from close range (1-2).

Both teams made a raft of substitutions in the last half-hour but the changes failed to alter the balance of play with clear-cut chances at a premium for the hosts and Hunter wasn't tested at all in the Blyth Town goal.

The visitors then spurned a couple of opportunities to extend their lead with substitute Ben Harmison guilty of a glaring miss in the 76th minute. He latched on to a long ball over the top before rounding Cassap in the box and blazed his effort over an empty net when looking certain to score.

Soon after, full back Evan Fogarty's inch-perfect cross was met by an unmarked Harmison at the back post and his firm point-blank header was blocked by Cassap with the rebound fired over by Fogarty.

Blyth Town started sitting too deep in the last 10 minutes and were wasteful in possession, allowing the hosts to mount a late rally. Law cut inside from the right and beat two men before a left-footed effort from distance sailed harmlessly over the bar, a corner on the right picked out Rogers who fired narrowly wide of the near post with Hunter beaten, and Scott's last gasp deep cross failed to find a teammate in the box.

Undefeated since October 7, this was an eighth league win in a row for table-toppers Blyth Town who are two points ahead of Newcastle Blue Star with 2 games in hand.

Their defence was superbly marshalled by Robbie Dale who was named player of the match. A legend in non-league circles and Blyth Spartans' all-time record appearance holder on 719, Dale scored 219 goals for the club over 18 seasons including a hat-trick on his debut in March 2005 against Wakefield & Emley. After leaving them in May 2022, he had a spell at Ashington before joining Blyth Town in July 2023.