Ryton & Crawcrook Albion got their Ebac Northern League Division Two campaign off to a perfect start in front of a crowd of 253 at Kingsley Park on Saturday with thee points and a clean sheet against opponents who finished just outside the promotion play-off places last season.

New signings Charlie Grieveson, Jack Ledger, Dale Burrell and Declan Bisset were all handed a place in the starting line-up and played their part in a victory far more comfortable than the final scoreline might suggest with the visitors, who were slow out of the blocks, lucky still to be in the game by the half-hour mark.

On the front foot from kick-off, the hosts kept a high line as Yarm & Eaglescliffe were pinned back in their own half. The first of numerous Rhys McLeod corners was a shade too high for his teammates in the six-yard box and, moments later, a return ball from Josh Skivington's free-kick was fed back to Burrell who fired a 25 yard effort over the bar.

On 12 minutes, a sweeping move from the back involving Burrell, Joseph Groves-Forbes, Bisset and Jack Errington ended with the latter's shot curling past the far post.

The hosts kept pressing and deservedly took the lead in their next attack through pacy winger Groves-Forbes who had been promoted to centre forward by manager Nathan Beckham in the absence of last season's top-scorer Aaron Costello due to suspension.

An angled ball into the box from the left was missed by a defender's outstretched leg and picked up by Groves-Forbes who skilfully flicked it to his left beyond the last defender and keeper Ethan Lansdell before calmly slotting home from six yards into an empty net (1-0).

Out of nothing, the visitors broke forward at pace in the 17th minute as space opened up down the right. Joshua Marshall's through ball for centre forward Thomas Atkinson was initially cut out by Burrell, and then Atkinson had a firm strike blocked on the edge of the box.

It had been largely one-way traffic towards the Yarm goal in the opening 25 minutes with nothing more than routine for home keeper Brogan Colquhoun. His first meaningful action saw him off his line quickly to punch clear winger Harry Stewart-Titchiner's long range free-kick.

With the visitors edging their way back into the game, a rare spell of pressure just after the half-hour mark culminated in central defender Daniel Jones getting on the end of Stewart-Titchiner's 35 yard free-kick and his goalbound diving header was palmed away to safety by Colquhoun at full stretch.

A few minutes later, another free-kick curled into the box was headed over Colquhoun's bar.

Down the other end as half-time approached, the lively Bisset showed great close control as he beat two defenders on a weaving run into the box from the left before having a close range effort saved by the advancing Lansdell.

Talented Ryton & Crawcrook Albion striker Noah Adotey replaced Dylan Lawson at the start of the second half, with Groves-Forbes switching to his more familiar position on the wing.

Adotey's pace was soon causing problems for the visitors' defence and, after beating his man and cutting into the box from the left, his firmly struck drive from an acute angle was blocked by Lansdell for a corner. The resulting set-piece delivery was headed wide of the far post by Errington.

Although Yarm were more positive from the re-start, there was still no end product with most of the goalmouth action at the other end. The visitors also lost their discipline after the break and picked up a string of yellow cards as well as a 10 minute stint in the sin-bin for Joseph Dalton.

On 57 minutes, the hosts twice came close to doubling their lead through Adotey and Errington. After being fed by Fergus Lynch, Adotey outpaced centre half Cameron Wild before unleashing an angled strike that was tipped over by Lansdell, and then, from the second of two corners on the left in quick succession, Errington's header drifted narrowly wide of Lansdell's right-hand post.

Just after the hour mark with the hosts still dominant, they failed to take advantage of another two corners on the right.

Groves-Forbes then turned his man on the edge of the box before sending a rising drive over the bar.

With things becoming increasingly feisty on the pitch, referee Zak Logue threatened to lose control of the game and the number of yellow cards issued was approaching double figures by the final whistle.

There was still no threat from the Yarm strikers as the clock ticked down, with home keeper Colquhoun a virtual spectator in the second half.

Ryton captain Errington had another effort cleared off the line in the 87th minute, and his side kept pressing with no further reward in four minutes of stoppage time before celebrating a deserved win.

Also in Division Two, Prudhoe YC Seniors drew 2-2 in their season opener at Middlesbrough against newly promoted Grangetown Boys Club. Mark McMeekin's side led 2-0 at the break through goals from Matt Law on 16 and 39 minutes before conceding twice in the opening five minutes of the second half.