Jamie Owens brought up 100 goals for Stockton Town as the Anchors beat Lincoln United 3-1 to move up to third in the Northern Premier League East Division.
Mikey Roberts opened the scoring just after the half-hour mark after converting from the penalty spot after winning the penalty for the hosts.
Nathan Mulligan doubled Stockton’s advantage in the second-half before Lincoln threatened to make it a nervy finish to the game when Matthew Cotton pulled a goal back late on.
However, just a minute later, Owens produced a moment of magic to turn past three defenders in the area and fire home to bring up a century of goals in a Stockton shirt.
The Anchors, who are now up to third in the table, are in Durham Challenge Cup action on Tuesday evening when they travel to Northern League Division One side Bishop Auckland.
Manager Michael Dunwell named an unchanged side from the team that beat Frickley Athletic last weekend, and it was a quiet start to the game in sub-zero temperatures.
Liam Cooke’s long-range free-kick was the first attempt between the two sides, on 13 minutes, but was comfortably held onto by Jack Steggles.
Neither side really tested the opposing goalkeepers in the first half-hour of the game. The game sprung to some sort of life on 32 minutes when M.Roberts won the ball back in the penalty area and was brought down.
The forward picked up the ball, confidently placed it on the spot and calmly slotted home to give the Anchors the lead.
Andy Janssen curled an effort from range just wide of the far post, while Kev Hayes was denied by Steggles on the stroke of half-time.
It was the Anchors that started the second-half on the front foot, controlling the possession, with Hayes, M.Roberts and Owens all going close.
Shane Henry made a bullish run from the midfield to pick up the ball on the edge of the area, but the midfielder’s effort went wide of the post.
Stockton doubled their lead on 73 minutes, when Mulligan picked up Cooke’s through ball and squeezed his shot over the goal line, despite the best efforts of the Lincoln ‘keeper.
The visitors made it 2-1 with just three minutes of normal time to play, as Cotton – who was Lincoln’s star player all afternoon – found the bottom corner of the net.
Dunwell’s side reacted well and within a minute they regained their two-goal advantage in the game.
Owens, with the ball at his feet, danced past three challenges in the Lincoln area before slotting home for his 100th goal in a Stockton shirt.
Tom Portas threatened to get in on the action in the last minute of normal time, but the midfielder was denied by a brilliant save from close range.
Stockton Town: C.Roberts, King, McWilliams, Portas, Nicholson, Coulthard, Hayes, Henry (A.Conway, 77), Steel (Owens, 56), Cooke, M.Roberts (N.Mulligan, 66)
Subs Not Used: D.Mulligan, Franks
Lincoln United: Steggles, Wilkinson, Smith, Deane (Chapman, 69), Cann, Richards, Jarvis, Liversidge (Swinn, 80), Acar, Cotton, Janssen (Park, 74)
Subs Not Used: Wilson, Zuerner
Goals: 1-0, 32 min, M.Roberts (Pen); 2-0, 73 min, N.Mulligan; 2-1, 87 min, Cotton; 3-1, 88 min, Owens
Referee: Paul Cooper
Assistants: Craig Jinks and Kevin McKitterick
Attendance: 522
Words: Andrew McDonnell
Photo: Harry Cook
