By Paul McGeary
Newton Aycliffe were never forced out of first gear as they stretched their run of unbeaten league games to 10.
Seaham arrived at Moore Lane Park fresh from almost claiming the scalp of second-placed Guisborough just four days earlier.
However, in failing to register a single shot on target during the afternoon, they resembled much more the side that languishes in the bottom-five of the table.
The home side should have been ahead following their first attack in the twelfth minute. Anth Campbell's strong surge forward saw him slip Craig Mickle through in the inside-left channel, but the former Jarrow Roofing striker could only watch as his cross-goal shot hit the far post and ran along the line before hitting the near upright as goalkeeper Carl Duggan dived on the loose ball. Duggan would later admit that the ball was two-yards over the line.
Five minutes later and Aycliffe did register their opening goal of the afternoon. Campbell once more set off on a mazy dribble, and after beating three men, unleashed a rising shot into the roof of Duggan's net from the edge of the penalty box.
Top scorer Warren Byrne had a goal disallowed for a foul shortly afterwards while Mark Peck and fellow centre-half Sean Davies both had headers cleared off the goal-line following Stuart Owen's right-wing corner as Aycliffe laid seige to the Gretna-end goal.
The hosts doubled their lead just after the hour mark, when Byrne netted his 16th of the season following some good work from Mickle down the left. The ex-Shildon man has now scored in each of the last six league games in which he has featured as he sits top of the goalscoring charts in the second tier.
Owen forced Duggan into a great save after 65 minutes when he pounced on an initial parry from Mickle's rasping 20-yard drive, but the Stars 'keeper was equal to the winger's follow-up and diverted his close range attempt over the crossbar.
Boss Allan Oliver gave a debut to Ben Wood, his latest signing, as Dan Mellanby and Elliot Gardner were also introduced from the bench to highlight the fire-power at the manager's disposal.
Had Byrne, and later Brian Fairhurst shown more conviction in front of goal, Aycliffe's afternoon's work would have had more of an emphatic score-line to it, but in both instances, the shots went high into the dark evening sky as the Newtonians had to settle for just the two goals.
Star Man - Mark PECK
Anth Campbell had a faultless afternoon and capped a great game with a wonder goal but once more Peck stood out from the rest with a towering performance at centre-half which saw the 20-year-old not miss a header or a tackle all afternoon.

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