Carlisle City produced their best performance of the season to shock title hopefuls Whitley Bay in the Northern League.
It turned into a rout as City won 5-1 which was only the Bay’s third defeat of the season.
The Cumbrians were virtually in control from the start and the home side just couldn’t stem the tide as the goals flowed.
Delighted City boss Jim Nichols said: “We have been saying for a while now that our performances haven’t earned the results they deserved.
“So in some ways this has been coming but to do it away against one of the best teams in the League was very satisfying.
“Our fitness levels and athleticism were important, but we also played some very good football and our decision making was spot on.
“I think they had a couple of early half chances but apart from their goal they didn’t really trouble us.”
When Luke Porritt netted for the Bay after 71 minutes City had already established a 5-0 lead and the game was over as a contest.
It could have been more because Jordan Palmer had a first-half penalty saved.
Dan Kirkup had given City the lead on nine minutes when he side-footed home from a corner before Tom Mahone cracked in his first5 goal for the club with a splendid strike.
Palmer then had his penalty saved but the lead was increased to 3-0 at the break when Mahone grabbed his second.
Three minutes into the second half Jordan Holt scored the fourth and Callum Birdsall made it 5-0 on 70 minutes.
The win puts City tenth in the table in their first season in the First Division.
