Prescot Cables 2 Woodley Sports 1

THIS victory puts Cables in pole position in the North West Counties League.

However, the opening 30 minutes produced few chances with Woodley prepared to defend in numbers and condense the game into midfield with their offside trap.

But after 34 minutes, Steve O'Neill beat beat it with a perfectly timed run before calmly rounding the keeper to give Prescot the lead.

In the next three minutes Prescot could have had three more. Gary Jenson was inches wide with a shot after turning his marker. A minute later he beat the keeper to a high ball but his header just cleared the bar. O'Neill then hit the side netting with a shot as the two strikers pulled the Woodley defence apart.

Woodley regained their composure and equalised with a headed goal from a corner a minute before half-time.

The second half began with Woodley defending in numbers but the constant runs by Jenson on O'Neill began to create openings. After 66 minutes, O'Neill went down the right and drew three defenders before crossing to the unmarked Jenson, who side-footed Prescot into the lead. On another day, both strikers could have added to their goal tally from the chances they continued to create.

With Lee Riley and Simon Hughes solid in the middle of the Prescot defence, there was no way back for Woodley.

Prescot Cables 5 Nantwich Town 0

Gary Jenson opened the scoring with a brilliantly taken goal after 11 minutes when Eddie Taylor put him through from the halfway line. Prescot had Nantwich on the back foot throughout the half but some resolute defending by the visitors kept Prescot's strikers at bay.

Within five minutes of the restart, before they could settle into their defensive routine, Nantwich found themselves 3-0 down. Andy Hayes sliced through the Nantwich defence with a run from the halfway line before shooting past the keeper. The same player then cut in from the left and hit a screamer from 25 yards that flew into net giving the keeper no chance. Prescot's fourth goal came from a four-man move ended by Steve O'Neill in the 75th minute.

Mike Riley completed the scoring when he lobbed the Nantwich keeper with two minutes to go.