An in-form Easington Colliery side beat Whickham at Welfare Park on Saturday afternoon despite the away side taking an early lead.
The Lang Jacks took the lead inside of two minutes through Kieran Aplin before Ryan Taylor equalised for the hosts in the fifth minute.
James Fairley then gave Easington the lead in the 27th minute, giving the hosts a 2-1 lead at the break.
Luke Pearn then extended Colliery’s lead in the 65th minute before Jay Roper ensured all three points in the 88th minute.
Whickham Manager Tony Fawcett named new signing Tom Howard on the bench ahead of kick-off.
First Half
Aplin gave the Lang Jacks the lead in under two minutes from close range after Keaton Marrs parried the initial attempt into the path of the Whickham attacker.
The visitors had a chance to double their lead a minute later but struck the post.
Easington equalised in the fifth minute through Taylor following a free kick from the right.
Daniel Marriott knocked the ball past an Easington defender and took a hand to the face, but the referee deemed it not to be a foul. The Lang Jacks then lost possession, and James Fairley converted a through ball.
Half Time: Easington Colliery 2-1 Whickham
The hosts extended their lead in the 65th minute. Thomas Bott won the ball high up the pitch, but his effort was blocked, but only as far as Pearn, whose low strike beat Mark Foden.
Denny Tapping found himself one-on-one with Foden with 12 minutes to go, but the Whickham goalkeeper came out on top when Tapping tried to lift the ball over him.
Easington ensured all three points in the 88th minute with a fourth goal when Jay Roper fired past Foden at the second attempt after missing the ball completely the first time.
Full Time: Easington Colliery 4-1 Whickham
Easington Colliery: Keaton Marrs, Josh Barnett, Ethan Ord (Tom Hunter 90+2′), Chris Trewick, Ryan Taylor, Andrew Nelson, Luke Pearn (Kieran Charlton 86′), Craig Hennis (Denny Tapping 60′), Thomas Bott (Jay Roper 82′), James Fairley (C), Liam Wright (Dane Eltringham 73′).
Goals: Ryan Taylor (5′), James Fairley (27′), Luke Pearn (65′), Jay Roper (88′).
Whickham: Mark Foden, Finlay Neary, Jordan Lavery (Mason Hardy 69′), Max Nelson, Callum Munro (Tom Howard 33′), Dominic Agnew (C), Finn Davies (Owen Kingsland 82′), Ross Peareth (Stephen Hall 69′), Samuel Johnson, Kieran Aplin (Jack Cooper 82′), Daniel Marriott.
Goals: Kieran Aplin (2′)
Referee: Paul Stephenson
Attendance: 150
Up Next: The Lang Jacks return to the First Mortgage Glebe on Saturday, March 8, against Northallerton Town with a 3 pm kick-off.
Written by Callum Jacques
