A typically dominant display was rewarded with a comfortable victory under the Meadow Lane lights.

Macaulay Langstaff got the party started with his 16th goal of the season on the stroke of half-time, before laying the ball on a plate for Ruben Rodrigues to curl home superbly after the break.

Rodrigues should have had his second from the spot shortly afterwards but his saved penalty was soon forgotten as Cedwyn Scott rounded off the scoring with a superb strike.

Luke Williams reverted to the starting XI which beat Woking in our last league outing, which meant Geraldo Bajrami continued alongside Matt Palmer in holding midfield.

Behind them, Sam Slocombe was shielded by a back three of Kyle Cameron, Connell Rawlinson and Richard Brindley, with Adam Chicksen and Aaron Nemane playing as wing backs.

Up front, Langstaff was supported by Rodrigues and Scott.

It was to be a completely one-sided first half and Langstaff had two headed opportunities early on, sending the ball over from Nemane’s cross before seeing Yusuf Mersin keep his next effort, from Bajrami’s delightful floated delivery, out of the bottom corner.

Two minutes later, Nemane fizzed a low ball across goal which Chicksen, perhaps expecting Langstaff to make contact in the middle, could only send into the side-netting with an instinctive finish.

We did have the ball in the net on 19 minutes when Langstaff produced a sensational finish inside the area, only for the linesman to flag him offside long after celebrations had commenced.

Cameron fizzed a low, 25-yard effort narrowly wide before former Magpie Regan Booty capitalised on a rare lapse to test Slocombe from 30 yards. The keeper easily pushed the ball away.

Rodrigues responded with two bits of magic, showing magnificent feet only to see his shot blocked on the edge of the area, moments before he nutmegged another unfortunate defender and fired his shot just over.

It felt like a matter of when, not if, however and we finally had a thoroughly deserved lead on the stroke of half-time when Langstaff battled brilliantly for a ball in the area, getting his head to it and looping it on to the bar. Stones keeper Mersin looked strong favourite to claim the loose ball but, in typical fashion, Langstaff nipped in to force it home.

And, shortly after the break, the Teessider turned provider when he couldn’t quite get his shot off and wisely opted to lay the ball off to Rodrigues instead. The Portuguese curled the ball towards the top corner and, despite what looked like the faintest touch from Mersin, the ball nestled in the top corner.

Rodrigues should have had the stopper picking the ball out of his net again three minutes later when Scott was felled in the area but it wasn’t an effort to remember for our much-loved playmaker, whose weak effort was easily saved.

It wasn’t to matter though as, on 64 minutes, Scott surprised everyone by shooting from the corner of the area and was delighted to see his superbly struck shot beat Mersin at his near post.

The keeper was certainly being kept busy and made a wonderful save to deny Cameron, who had marauded into the box and worked a shot on his right foot, shortly afterwards.

Rodrigues floated a free-kick over the bar and Langstaff saw a close-range effort brilliantly diverted behind when he looked certain to add to his phenomenal goal tally.

That proved to be Langstaff's final action as he was replaced by Kairo Mitchell shortly afterwards, and the forward nearly made an immediate impact when he had a shooting chance from a narrow angle. Mersin stood firm at his near post, however.

And, after another opportunity for a fourth passed us by when Chicksen couldn't quite make contact on a low cross from the right six yards out, the referee called time on another successful day at the Lane.

STARTING XI: Slocombe; Cameron, Rawlinson, Brindley; Chicksen, Nemane (Adebayo-Rowling 66'); Bajrami, Palmer, Rodrigues, Scott (Austin 66'); Langstaff (Mitchell 76')

UNUSED SUBS: Baldwin, Francis

ATTENDANCE: 6,765 (279)