ROSSENDALE 2 NEWCASTLE 1

ROSSENDALE came out on top in this six point encounter, with the introduction of Dave Gray and Steve Cunningham the deciding factor.

Newcastle are worthy NWCL Division One title contenders and had bossed the first 20 minutes.

But Dale weathered the storm and provided their own threat -- getting their own title charge back on track following a shock defeat to Skelmersdale on Saturday.

On 21 minutes Craig Sargeson headed home only to see the referee give offside. Paul Heavey went close with a similar effort and Chris Gardner was unlucky to see the keeper parry a good effort against the bar on 40 minutes.

Sargeson saw a shot zip just over a minute after the restart. But it was the visitors who took first blood, Neil Pestridge firing home on 55 minutes.

Two minutes later Dale manager Jim McCluskie changed the formation and it worked a treat. Gray partnered Heavey up front and worried the visitors with his pace and Cunningham, back from suspension, provided an extra dimension.

On 72 minutes Paul Lynch, himself returning to the side from a lengthy suspension, capped a good performance by playing a 1-2 with Sargeson in the box before forcing a blatant hand ball which Sargeson dispatched in typical fashion.

At this point it was Dale who were the more confident returning to the form that has seen them power up the league.

And, as so many times before, Sargeson produced the goods when he evaded several players skipping around the box before lashing home his 31st goal of the season.