THE young Prudhoe YC Seniors hosted Blyth Spartan Reserves in one of their sternest tests since being formed three years ago.

And they came through the second division top of the table clash with flying colours, earning a 5-3 win.

Before Saturday Blyth were unbeaten in the league, winning 12 and drawing one of their 13 games.

However the Prudhoe lads demonstrated their character and the progress they have made, in front of a sixeable crowd at the high school with a fabulous performance full of grit determination and some superb flowing football.

The lads had already demonstrated their focus for the game by doing a 30-mile round trip the previous Wednesday, to train at Walker, after their usual training session at Prudhoe had been snowed off.

From the first whistle the Prudhoe team were first to every ball and their opponents struggled to settle early on.

In an entertaining start, it was home keeper Jack Walker who was called into action first, making a fine diving save on five minutes to deny the league leaders.

Prudhoe hit back strongly though and in a flurry of activity went close three times in three minutes.

Firstly, David Burns burst past the right back and put in a teasing cross which evaded his teammates. Then Matty Robinson's cross caused problems before being headed out for a Prudhoe corner.

Then with only eight minutes gone, some superb interplay between James Watson and Arron Fletcher set away Burns again, who put in great low cross across the goal but no Prudhoe players were on hand to get the vital touch.

The Prudhoe pressure eventually told and, with a quarter of an hour gone, Brad Rogers picked out the run of Fletcher who calmly placed the ball past the Blyth keeper to open the scoring.

It was Fletcher who came close five minutes later, as Prudhoe continued to dominate the opening exchanges.

However, on 21 minutes Prudhoe keeper Walker pulled off a sublime save in a one-to-one situation on the 18-yard box as he sprinted out his goal and spread himself bravely to deny Blyth an equaliser.

With 25 minutes on the clock Fletcher was crudely brought down on the edge of the area. Robinson placed the ball and then in typical fashion looped a 20-yard drive over the wall and into the top of the net to make it 2-0, leaving Blyth visibly shocked.

More was to come though as Prudhoe relentlessly competed for every ball and poured forward at will, exposing their opponents time after time down the flanks with Burns especially torturing the right back.

Another peach of a ball from Rogers found Burns clear of the defence and he coolly lobbed the onrushing keeper to give Prudhoe a deserved 3-0 lead.

Blyth were not going to lie down, however, and pulled one back on 38 minutes with a good move finished off by Andy Murray.

However the three goal advantage was restored immediately, as straight from the kick off Scott Douglas picked out Burns who cut inside his marker and finished low to the keeper's right.

Blyth were expected to come out all guns firing in the second half, but it was Prudhoe who hit first as, within a minute of the second period, Fletcher did well on the left and floated a great cross to the unmarked Douglas who headed home from close range

Blyth grew stronger as the game wore on, and on 70 minutes Murray scored his second.

Prudhoe keeper Walker then did superbly to push a fierce drive onto the bar to deny Blyth a third, colliding with a Prudhoe defender and injuring himself on the process.

With 10 minutes left Liam Wotherspoon gave his side hope with their third.

Prudhoe then missed two good chances to put the match beyond reach as the keeper saved from Douglas on 81 minutes.

Two minutes later Burns was also denied and Ben Bloomer came close from the rebound.

There was no further scoring and Prudhoe secured a vital three points in their promotion push to move clear of Bedlington Town, into second place in the league.

Every one of the Prudhoe players did the town team proud, but Arron Fletcher just pipped his team mates David Burns and Scott Douglass for the man of the match vote.

l In the first division, Hexham's promotion hopes were dented by a 4-2 home defeat against Felling Magpies. In the premier division, the referee abandoned the derby game between Ponteland United and Wallington, after a keeper suffered a serious leg injury.