Newcastle Eagles stretched their unbeaten start to the season to four games after delivering another gutsy victory down the stretch.

It’s a measure of Marc Steutel’s attention to detail and determination to be better that the club’s frustrated head coach was far from satisfied with another big win against Caledonia Gladiators.

But for as long as Newcastle can keep turning over opponents without hitting top gear it allows the Eagles invaluable breathing space to find their true identity.

A 71-66 win north of the border was all about the result as the men in black retained top spot in the Super League Basketball Trophy’s North group.

And while Steutel might point to a number of missed assignments and deviations from the scout — against a Gladiators side shorn of talismanic guard Patrick Whelan — there were moments when the visitors looked in a class of their own.

A stunning spell of defensive basketball during a one-sided second quarter threatened to restrict shellshocked Caledonia to single figures in the period.

The Eagles opened up a 16-point advantage heading towards the half as Gareth Murray’s men started to implode.

But the hosts rediscovered their mojo either side of the break and closed to within three points of Newcastle with seven seconds on the clock.

That his players allowed Gladiators a way back in — after building up such a commanding lead — will concern coach Steutel ahead of Sunday’s trip to Cheshire Phoenix.

And yet there was much to like about another spirited response to late pressure against a franchise with lofty ambitions at home and abroad.

Just a week after being battered on the boards by a towering Gladiators team, the Eagles were much improved under the glass.

Elsewhere, four players hit double figures and Cole Long managed nine minutes of competitive action after recovering from a pre-season ankle knock.

Without the sidelined Will Neighbour, an already undersized Newcastle were always going to find their hosts’ physicality a problem.

But 28 defensive rebounds restricted Murray’s men to just six second chance points — compared to 11 the previous week — and the Scots picked up 26 fewer points in the paint eight days on from that Vertu Motors Arena thriller.

That the Eagles limited Caledonia to just 66 points at PlaySport is a significant stat but Newcastle’s offence only fired in fits and starts.

And had Gladiators improved upon their dismal 60 per cent shooting (15 from 25) from the free throw line then things could have been very different.

Fortunately Newcastle’s players have already found the winning habit and this new-look roster will do whatever it takes to seal the victory.

MVP Mike Okauru — still being used off the bench — added three steals, three assists and seven boards to his 12 points in 24 minutes.

But the shooter’s impressive all-round game was tempered by a disappointing three from eight from the field and the US star will be determined to better that average at Cheshire.

Mr Consistency Seneca Knight claimed 16 points and six rebounds while in-form rookie De’Sean Allen-Eikens (13 points and seven boards) maintained his eye-catching start to life in an Eagles jersey.

But both players gave up the ball four times on a night when Newcastle registered 20 turnovers as a team.

Steutel will demand better decisions in possession and smarter distribution as the Eagles head to Cheshire for the second of four games in eight days — including three back-to-back road trips.

But the North’s only unbeaten side are already proving to be a tough nut to crack as they chase success on five fronts this season.