AFTER losing three cup games in a row, including last week's Northumberland FA Senior Benevolent Bowl First Round tie at home to Haltwhistle Jubilee, Gosforth Bohemians got back to winning ways on Saturday as they inflicted a first home defeat of the season on Jubilee in the Reeves Group Northern Alliance Premier Division.

In a match where the number of clear-cut chances could be counted on one hand, two goals in the first 20 minutes proved enough for Bohemians with keeper Joe Foalle unlikely to have a quieter afternoon all season.

The visitors were out the blocks quickly and, after being sent clear down the left, centre forward Mitchell Dixon cut inside into the box and fired over from a tight angle when a cross would have been a better option with team-mates up in support.

At the other end, winger Dan Alderson intercepted an attempted back pass from halfway and advanced into the box on the left, but was closed down by Foalle before he could get a shot away.

Kurtis Harvey then did well to dispossess Bohemians winger Callum Bannister in the area just as he was about to pull the trigger, and a follow-up cross was cleared by Jack Currah's diving header.

Corners at both ends came to nothing, either side of the pacy Bannister getting on the end of a ball over the top before turning his man and having an effort blocked by Harvey.

The visitors' bright start was rewarded on 18 minutes with the opening goal from Mitchell Dixon.

After breaking at pace down the middle of the park from inside their own half, skipper Josh Spurling slipped a perfectly timed pass in behind for an unmarked Dixon to slot past Thomas Craney into the bottom right corner (0-1).

Pressing again down the right from the re-start, winger Max Alder was fouled by Jubilee full-back Archie White five yards from the corner of the box with the resulting free-kick curled in low by Jack Quinn somehow making its way through a sea of legs in the six-yard box into the back of the net (0-2).

Despite seeing plenty of the ball after conceding twice in as many minutes, the hosts lacked quality in the final third and still hadn't called Foalle into action by the half-hour mark.

They were fortunate not to be even further behind on 38 minutes when Craney failed to deal with a back pass near the byline and was dispossessed by Bannister who knocked it back to an unmarked Dixon, but, with the keeper out of position, the striker's effort drifted wide of the far post.

Moments later, the ball was worked left to right just outside the box to Dixon who had a first-time shot on the angle saved by Craney. 

At the other end, the underworked Foalle did well under pressure to punch clear a deep cross from the right before recovering to save a follow-up effort from Lewis Furness.

In contrast to the first half, Jubilee started the second with more desire and intensity.

A couple of Alderson's trademark long throws into the box along with a string of crosses from both flanks gave the visitors' well-organised defence plenty of heading practice, a deep cross found Lewis Loughhead who had a shot blocked, a corner was punched out of the area to Alderson who returned a first-time strike off target, and another Alderson effort was fired straight at Foalle.

On the hour mark, a free-kick near halfway picked out centre forward George Priest who turned his man and worked the ball onto his favoured left foot before curling a 25-yard effort just over the angle of post and bar.

On the counter, Bohemians' first chance since the break came on 66 minutes when Alder slipped one through into the box for the onrushing Spurling, who blazed a shot over the bar.

A few minutes later, it was Jubilee's turn to launch a counter-attack from deep inside their own half with substitute Olly Pearson feeding Priest who sent over a dipping cross that was inches away from being converted at the back post by Harvey's diving header.

The game continued to ebb and flow in the closing stages, with Dixon's left-footed effort saved low down by Craney shortly before Alderson got on the end of Priest's cross to send a diving header over the top, and substitute James Best's cross was headed out of the box to central defender Will Morrey who fired high and wide.

The hosts pressed in vain for a consolation goal deep into stoppage time. Harvey's low cross was fumbled by Foalle before being gathered at the second attempt, and a free-kick chipped into a crowded box eventually found its way through to the keeper before referee Mark Wilkinson blew the final whistle.

This was a first clean sheet of the season on the road for Bohemians who have climbed to fifth in the table, while the absence of last season's Golden Boot winner Jack Barker continues to limit the attacking options for fourth-bottom Jubilee who have won only three of 13 league games.

Haltwhistle Jubilee manager Cameron Bell said: “No excuses as without doubt that was our worst home display of the season, and we were deservedly beaten.

“Credit to Bohemians, who outbattled us and were the better team throughout.”

In the other Saturday action involving our local sides, there were important wins for Ponteland United (Cup), Heddon United (Cup), and Ryton & Crawcrook Albion (League).

The evergreen Craig Fairley scored twice as Ponteland United clinched a place in the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup with a 2-1 win at Newcastle East End. The other quarter-final winners were Cramlington United, Newcastle Chemfica and holders Burradon & New Fordley.

Heddon United came from behind to win 3-1 at North East Sporting Club in the quarter-finals of the Neville Cowey Cup. Their goals were scored by Jack Johnson and Connor Tynan (2).

Ryton & Crawcrook Albion are now only three points off the final promotion play-off spot in Ebac Northern League Division Two following a 1-0 home win against Grangetown Boys Club, with the winner scored by second-half substitute Evann Jardine.