Newcastle Benfield come out on top in huge derby clash against Newcastle Blue Star
Newcastle Blue Star 0-1 Newcastle Benfield
Newcastle Benfield fought valiantly to beat Newcastle Blue Star for the second time this season ending the home side’s five-month unbeaten run at Scotswood in the Ebac Northern League Division One.
The Lions took the lead through Joe Ames inside the first 20 minutes. This turned out to be the winner as Benfield shut Blue Star out for the remainder of the game.
There was a lot riding on this match for both sides. Blue Star manager Marc Nash had been at Benfield’s previous two games which shows how important this match was for the home side. The Star needed a win to make sure they stayed in touching distance with the teams fighting for promotion and to build some momentum back after only having two games in January.
The Lions, after a poor run, got back to winning ways on Friday away at West Allotment Celtic. This put them back into playoff contention and made this match even more significant. If Benfield did win, the playoffs would well and truly be on after a few weeks ago it looked like they might have just slipped away.
Benfield started the better of the two teams, breaking well on the counter and showing high levels of physicality against a young Blue Star side. The Star struggled to get going inside the early parts of the game and didn’t anticipate the away team to fly out traps at the start of the match.
In the 18th minute, a corner was whipped in by Andre Bennett that found the head of Ames who smashed it home into the top right corner leaving Dan Lister in goal no chance.
Blue Star were always going to improve in the second half after being limited by The Lions shape out of possession in the first period.
Benfield held out after a tough onslaught in the last fifteen from The Star who threw everything at it, but the experience and dark arts of Andy Ferguson’s side made sure Benfield took six points off the team from Scotswood.
Newcastle Benfield will try and build on this great performance and look to make it three wins in a row when they face Whitley Bay at the MKM on Saturday.