WALLINGTON put on a five-star performance as they played their first home game in December for the best part of a decade. 

The pitch at Oakford Park has struggled to cope with wintry weather in recent seasons, and the Northern Alliance Premier Division side has got used to playing matches away from home towards the end of the year. 

But on Saturday, Whitley Bay A were the first league visitors to the ground, at Scots Gap, in at least eight years, and the hosts won emphatically 5-0. 

Aidan Armstrong opened the scoring when he headed home a Micky Angus corner, before Jake Walton found the top corner with a strike from 30 yards. 

Another corner from Angus was headed home by Simon Broatch to make it 3-0, which was the score at half time. 

In the second half, Brad Richardson finished low into the bottom corner, before teenager Simon Farrier put the icing on the cake for Wallington. 

The 17-year-old marked his debut for the club by notching in the 80th minute. He completed the scoring in a match which saw Wallington dominate throughout, playing confident attacking football. 

Apart from Armstrong, all of the other scorers recorded their first goals of the season.

The victory left the club in seventh place in the league on 22 points after 14 games. 

Club records show that Wallington have not played a home league game since December 2010. 

Many have been arranged over the years, but poor weather resulted in so many postponements, that league officials tried to ensure Wallington played away fixtures during the month of December. 

Last summer, centre forward John Paxton took on the role of groundsman, in a bid to improve the pitch.

His work has paid off, and the playing surface is holding up well to the elements. 

Wallington are due to travel to ninth placed Seaton Delaval in the league on Saturday.

However, two further home matches have been scheduled for later this month. 

On Saturday, December 15, they are set to host local rivals Ponteland United which is always an interesting fixture.

On Saturday, December 22, the Gap will be the venue for a contest with Newcastle Chemfica.