Star struck Boro

Radcliffe generosity started on the car park with the excellent match day programme being given away. I got myself settled to catch the game in the supporters bar and enjoyed the fayre on offer. The usual hard working fund raisers did the rounds. A couple of days earlier the room was host to the reprieved supporters club meeting that was very positive and the future looks good. I was generously shown around the treatment and physio set up at the club after the meet and was hugely impressed, good to know the players have all the facilities they need to compete and recover.The visitors bring with them a positive start to the season averaging 3 goals a game .To the game..........

Referee Robinson invites Blue Star to kick off , Boro take up the possession and win the first corner after Steve Howsons first run is found by Griff Jones .Dawson is unlucky not to connect but the ref gives Newcastle the free kick. Lee Connell back from his stint at Ashton United is involved with Howson and Jones as boro look lively. Jones puts in a good run from left to right and produces a fine ball for the advancing Howson in a good position , the move breaks down and Blue Star exchange passes well before Jones with Howsons help play in Battersby who checks and floats a cross in that clears the angle of bar and post. Newcastle find their feet and against the early run of play find the net, David McTiernans cross finds Greg Hall and Craig Dawson undecided and with Dawson flat footed Steve Salvin rises to head over Hall, 1-0 to the visitors after 9 minutes played. Boro move forward and win a free kick when Neil Chappell is fouled . Lee Unsworth takes and sees the keeper fluff the catch McTiernan clears. Blue Star have settled and with the goal comfort start to weave some good passing moves together. Paul Bryson is through on goal and with only Hall to beat Unsworth puts in a fantastically well timed solid tackle that saves a certain second. The early goal loss as unsettled the Boro shape and the ball starts to be given away cheaply. Gary Sampson attempts to beat the keeper after turning in field only to see his shot go well wide. Radcliffe start to rush play and mistakes are starting to creep in . Newcastles first corner on 19 minutes sees Dawson clear well under pressure, Blue Stars centre forward Brayson is treated off the field for a blow in the face. A more decisive cross from Mark Jones is matched by the keepers handling. The visitors look calm in possesion of the ball and play very tidily in all departments. Connell works hard in the centre of field to contain and stop any domination . When Griff Jones is fouled , Unsworth wastes the free kick. This will be one of many set pieces offered to Boro that are lacking in delivery quality. Battersby and Griff Jones combine well to force the defender to sky the ball , Howson fights is way to a chance that is blocked only to see the ball passed back to the keeper close in, the referee misses it and the game goes on. The half is shared between the teams with the home side trying to find some way back. The usual outlet is Howson who is finding support short as his colleagues are embroiled in trying to win the midfield . Connell is active the most in this task with Battersby adding some thoughtful play. Brayson is always available for Blue Star and they tend to find him more often than not. As the half time raffle tickets are pulled from pockets Boro defend in numbers and Dawson is strong to avert danger. The whistle goes with hopes of a draw possible.

The temperature is the only change for the second half as it gets colder and rain threatens. Boro warm us up when Howson wins a free kick , a better delivery by battersby finds the head of Dawson as the ball lands griff jones strikes to see the ball blocked , Connell keeps it alive but jones doesn't threaten before it is cleared. The north east team respond well and break down the right with a good cross sent in for the waiting Salvin who is foiled. Mark Jones switches play well in the middle and Simon Kelly reacts and forces the corner. Howson just cant reach the cross and danger is cleared. Newcastle start to grip the game with Steve Bowie and Brayson becoming more evident and dangerous in front of the boro back line. Bowie and Brayson are looking and waiting to penetrate and punish any lapse in concentration. Kelly loses concentration and gifts the ball to Salvin should have converted on the hour. At the other end Griff Jones wins the free kick . With 4 in the wall Battersby strikes and hits it as the ball runs away Mark Jones flashes the ball 2 yard over the middle of the crossbar. Luczka decides on a double substitution with Griff Jones and Connell leaving , Rutter and Oates enter and within minutes the tempo increases with Oates finding Battersby who lays the ball up for rutter to strike at goal , the ball is lashed clear. Newcastle with pace see Chappell give a sloppy ball away and Chris Emms tidys it up by playing a great ball to Bowies path and just as it looks like he his going too wide he slots home past Hall in style. 2-0 . Newcastle look very comfortable. They sub McLen for Tait as they look to secure the away win. Boro are only given scraps by the well drilled Newcastle centre halves and Howson can only glance a cross by Oates when he does well to get down the flank. Boro try the same route but to no avail, the keeper makes a point of clearing as he sends the ball to Ainsworth , he wants his clean sheet. Blue Star threaten again before they take off Salvin for Nicholson . Boro have 15 minutes to respond. As the rain gets heavier Emms is replaced for Fawcett. Brookes replaces Chappell soon after for the Boro who keep pushing but can't push hard enough. Brookes gets his first chance when Battersby whips in a in swinging corner as it drops from the defenders he shoots tamely against the defence. Newcastle pass the ball through the field with confidence and find McTiernan who as a great run across the boro 18 yard line before firing back across Hall who saves well to concede the corner. The corner is taken with the ball clearing all to the far post , Boro are asleep as the ball is sent back and finds the toe of Bowie and it whips past Hall for a flattering 3-0 scoreline. The game is over for Boro whos last flourish sees Brookes strike well in front of goal but allows the keeper to watch it wide. Battersby who beats the defender well finds himself in pole position but only fires at the keepers chest as we enter 90 minutes.

The referee ends the encounter with Newcastle the better team on a solid second half performance. Radcliffes generosity was extended too far and Blue Star will travel the 150 miles back home with their scoring average intact and 3 points safe in the geordie kit bag. As Newcastle stay on the pitch to warm down , Gerry and Kevin are in full conversation and will i am sure share more words to stop us having the worst home form in the league.

see you in Yorkshire