**NORTH SUNDERLAND 3**
NORTHERN Alliance Division Two leaders North Sunderland made it 10 wins and a draw from the last 11 league games as they inflicted a first home defeat of the season on Prudhoe YC Seniors Reserves last Saturday.
The visitors were dealt an early blow when top-scorer Luke Strangeways went off injured after only four minutes and had to be replaced by Matty Castle.
Soon after, their first corner on the right curled in left-footed by full-back Kyle Jeffrey was punched clear by Sam Harrison, while, at the other end, experienced North Sunderland keeper Chris Sinton was finally called into action on 16 minutes when getting down well at his near post to save David Burns' low strike.
A counter-attack by the visitors ended with winger Robbie Swordy blazing a shot over the bar, shortly before the same player got on the end of Jak Dodd's long range free-kick, but his header was off target.
The hosts then enjoyed a better spell of possession in opposition territory without making it count.
Dylan Turnbull slotted one through the defensive line for Burns to fire home, but the winger had drifted offside and the goal was chalked off, Shaun Tinnion's header from a corner was blocked in front of the line, and they couldn't capitalise on a mix-up in the box between Sinton and his defenders.
On the half-hour mark, Sinton's long clearance allowed to bounce deep in Prudhoe territory was latched on to by Swordy who had a first-time lob acrobatically tipped over the bar by Harrison.
Prudhoe centre-half Chris Slater then curled a 20-yard free-kick just over the angle of post and bar, before the visitors broke the deadlock on 35 minutes through striker Ross Moore.
Dodd fed Josh Stephenson down the right and the pacy full-back advanced before delivering a pinpoint cross that was headed home by Moore giving Harrison no chance (0-1).
Breaking from their own half soon after the re-start, Moore fed it left to teenager James Preston who cut inside and his dangerous low ball angled towards the six-yard box was gathered on the floor by Harrison seconds before the outstretched leg of the onrushing striker made contact.
A counter-attack on 39 minutes led to David Burns getting the hosts back on level terms.
After initially being fed forward by central defender Cameron Hall, the ball was moved right to Burns, who broke into the box and his crisp strike looped off a defender up and over Sinton into the net (1-1).
One of the pivotal moments of the match came on the stroke of half-time when Prudhoe striker Jordan Phillips put winger John Keltie clean through on goal with only Sinton to beat, but his rising effort hit the top of the bar and went over.
The hosts started the second half on the front foot with Keltie, Phillips and Tinnion linking up well down the left before the latter's low strike was saved by Sinton's outstretched leg, and, moments later, a corner was wasted when Tinnion's delivery curled straight into the side-netting.
The remainder of the half belonged to the visitors, with keeper Sinton having nothing more to deal with other than routine back passes.
Swordy's cross was headed over by Moore, and, from the second of two corners in quick succession, Jeffrey's low drive was saved at the near post.
The pressure continued to build and it came as no surprise when the visitors regained the lead on 56 minutes through evergreen captain Stephen Rutter who continues to prove that age is just a number.
He rose highest at the back post to nod home Stephenson's great cross from the right flank (1-2).
Moore then curled a 20-yard free-kick just over the bar shortly before the lead was extended on 63 minutes through Swordy - who was scoring for the fourth game in a row.
The Prudhoe defence parted down the middle like the Red Sea as Moore fed it through to an unmarked Swordy in the box and the winger coolly slotted the ball beyond Harrison into the bottom left corner (1-3).
Jeffrey then came close to getting his name on the scoresheet when his 30-yard free-kick heading for the top left corner was palmed away by Harrison at full stretch.
A triple substitution by Prudhoe manager Tommy Clasper with 20 minutes remaining failed to have the desired effect with Sinton still a virtual spectator in the visitors' goal.
Swordy missed a gilt-edged opportunity on 75 minutes after being put clean through, but his effort was kept out by Harrison's outstretched legs. That proved to be the last goalmouth action of a competitive encounter played in the right spirit and well handled by local referee Colin Smith.
North Sunderland teenager James Preston caught the eye on his first starting appearance with his close control and pace a constant threat down the left wing, while central defender Jak Dodd was named man of the match.
Now unbeaten since mid-August and scoring at an average of three goals per game, North Sunderland remain one point ahead of second-placed AFC Newbiggin Reserves heading into the second half of the season after carving open the normally watertight Prudhoe defence on numerous occasions for a fully-deserved victory.