NORTHALLERTON Town produced an excellent performance to win 2-0 at Billingham Town in an Ebac Northern League division two encounter last Saturday.

Both teams had been in good form of late, with the visitors undefeated in the league since the end of October and Billingham unbeaten since Christmas.

Northallerton suffered a pre-match blow with the news that centre back Danny Jones would miss the game for personal reasons, but Matthew Lovatt had been drafted in from Stockton Town and another new recruit, Aaron Foley, had joined from Stokesley and was on the bench along with Danny Ballantyne.

The early exchanges gave the impression that both teams were up for the challenge, with no quarter asked or given.

As half-time approached, both teams had created chances, but none were converted until Josh Keogh lashed the ball home from fully 30 yards in the 44th minute for the opening goal against his former club.

Drew Lambert went close for the home side when he curled a free kick wide of the post, but Northallerton increased their lead in the 54th minute when Damon Reakes chased a Stuart Owens ball over the defence, outpaced the keeper and then coolly lobbed the ball over his head into an empty net.

A long kick from Northallerton keeper Mattie Calvert was headed on by Andrew Ramsbottom as the visitors turned the screw, and a ball across goal just eluded the lunging Danny McLachlan at the back post.

They went close again when a corner on the right from Owens was met by Josh Knox, but his header went wide.

Northallerton were playing assured football and there were outstanding performances all over the park, but Billingham should have pulled a goal back when a clumsy challenge by debutant Lovatt resulted in a penalty. But Mattie Calvert comfortably saved Lambert's spot kick.

Calvert then dived to save a shot by Jamie Davis and another clean sheet was assured when James Muir kicked the ball off the line when Calvert was eventually beaten.

At the other end, substitute Jack Dalton rippled the side-netting with a shot and Elliott McGlade tried to chip the keeper in the last minute.

Billingham Town: Scotter, Redman, Dixon, Conner, Oakley, Bath, Maloney, Davis, Hutchinson, Lambert, Croker. Subs: Bagshaw, Raby, Popple, Maddison, Snowden.

Northallerton Town: Calvert, Muir, Hemingway, Keogh, Lovatt, Knox, Andrew Ramsbottom, Owens, Reakes, Aaron Ramsbottom, McLachlan. Subs: McGlade, Dalton, Foley, Ballantyne, Farrell.