Hebburn Town hosted fellow Northern League Division One side Penrith FC on Saturday in a very wet, cold and covid-19 hit South Tyneside. The weather and current mood of the area could be summed up by the lowest crowd the hornets have seen at The Green Energy Sports Ground of 137 for quite some time.

Nevertheless those 137 brave souls were in for a spectacular treat as the hornets bounced back after the midweek defeat to North Shields with an emphatic 9-0 win. A dominating performance saw the hosts score five (5) goals in the first half with Cedwyn Scott, Graeme Armstrong, Michael McKeown and two goals for debutant Lee Mason before the half-time whistle.

The second half proved to be just as dominating with a further four (4) goals scored as Robbie Spence, Olly Martin got a goal a piece whilst Armstrong secured his first hat-trick of the 2020 season when he converted a further two to add to his first half strike. You could argue the hornets could have had double figures were it not for some fantastic last-ditch defending from Penrith with two goal line clearances and at least 4 fantastic saves from the visiting goalkeeper.

On an awful day weather wise the pitch at The Green Energy Sports Ground was in top-notch condition, Covid-19 measures meant a reduced capacity of 150 so for such an entertaining game the elements and outside influences prevented the majority of the Hebburn hecklers to miss the game.

Hebburn started very brightly and got a handle on the game from the early minutes, dominating possession and moving it well across the pitch and through the thirds. The home side had 3 half chances within the first 10 minutes but couldn’t find the net, but that changed in the 11th minute when Cedwyn Scott got on the end of an excellent through ball from Michael McKeown, Scott drove forward, rounded the advancing keeper and slotted the ball home to make it 1-0 to Hebburn.

The home side continued to put pressure on Penrith with a number of close chances and in the 20th minute on loan debutant Lee Mason got on the score sheet, Scott worked well down the left, zipped a ball in and a defender cleared only to Mason who made no mistake as he drilled the ball in from 13 yards 2-0.

It didn’t take long for Mason to get his second, In the 29th minute he combined with fellow striker Armstrong who after some great work to get on the end of the ball forward unselfishly squared the ball t Mason who took a touch round the keeper and slotted it in the net 3-0.

The constant pressure from the home side was impacting the visitors but to their credit the Bonny Blues worked tirelessly, however the hosts were just too clinical and in the 38th minute McKeown became supplier again as he threaded a lovely ball through to Armstrong who took a touch and rifled it into the far corner 4-0.

Mason almost had a debut hat-trick in the 40th minute when his cute header from a Lough cross went narrowly over the bar from 6 yards out. Minutes later Armstrong had a rasper of a shot from 18 yards cannon of the post and away to safety in somewhat a let-off for the visitors.

On the stroke of half-time the hornets hit a fifth when influential midfielder McKeown continued his good goal scoring form with a fantastic 25 yard strike that almost bust the net in the bottom corner.

Half-time Hebburn Town 5-0 Penrith

The visitors must have had a good talking to at the interval as they came out firing on all cylinders and created an early chance in what would be one of only a handful all game but Mark Foden in the Hebburn goal was alert and saved comfortably. Hebburn scored their sixth on 49 minutes, Donaghy who was up top from a resulting corner struck from the edge of the box, the ball was blocked and it fell to Scott who squared it nicely to Armstrong to tap it in from 3 yards to get his second. 6-0.

The next 8 minutes of the game were manic as Hebburn continued to dominate and rifle shots at the visitors' goal but a combination of great defending from Penrith and quality saves from the goalkeeper prevented a goal, that was until the 57th minute when Robbie Spence neatly lobbed the ball over his head and over the keeper from 12 yards to score the hornets seventh of the game. 7-0

Armstrong nearly had his hat-trick in the 61st minute when a great cross from Scott was met by the prolific centre-forward at the back post but his header went along the face of the goal and out for a goal kick.

Kevin Bolam made a triple substitution in 64th minute, welcoming back Louis Storey, Michael Richardson and Olly Martin who replaced Mason, Potter and Taylor.

All three substitutes had an immediate impact and it was Martin who assisted in Hebburn’s eighth goal, a wonderful strike from 22 yards was parried by the Penrith keeper and none other than Graeme Armstrong was on hand to tap it in and secure his hat-trick. 8-0.

Hebburn continued the barrage of the visitors' goal, two off the line and many other fine blocks and saves prevented the hosts getting more goals until the 87th minute when Martin got the ninth and final goal of the game when the roles were reversed between Armstrong and him. Armstrong had a shot from the left angle that looped of the defender's leg, Martin was at the back post where he nodded it in to finish off a superb afternoon of goalscoring for the hornets. 9-0.

FT Hebburn Town 9-0 Penrith

Overall a dominating display from Hebburn Town. Credit to Penrith who battled for every minute of the game but it was one of those days where almost everything Hebburn touched ended in a goal or a chance.

A great result with players returning from injury getting much needed minutes.

Hebburn Team : Foden, Groves, Lough, Donaghy, Taylor (64), McKeown, Spence, Mason (64), Potter (64), Scott, Armstrong

Subs Used : Storey (64), Richardson (64), Martin (64)

Subs not used : Coulson, Mullen

Man of the match Graeme Armstrong

Crowd 137