St Helens Town 5, Glossop North End 2

TWO wins on the trot have established Town back in the top four and the successes were significant for the contribution of young right wing-back Gary Jones.

His winner last time out against Atherton Colls was a club milestone as it was St Helens' 600th league goal at Hoghton Road since the North West Counties League was established 18 years ago.

On Saturday the Jones boy's all-action display earned him the Lanes Trophies man-of-the-match award as Town eventually swept lowly Glossop aside after a sluggish start.

The seven goals scored in Saturday's contest could well have been double figures had both teams taken all their chances but none of this was evident in the first half-hour as Town particularly posed no threat at all. Glossop relied on breaks and set-pieces, resulting in a Ringland header and a Minshull ground shot which Town 'keeper Hollywood got his body behind.

But he was relieved to see Hamilton's lob clear the bar in a one-on-one break.

Then out of the blue in the 29th minute the fireworks started when Town stuck the first of two goals in three minutes when Steve O'Neill turned in Walker's cut-back after Glossop keeper Merrick had done superbly to prevent an own goal deflection off Hulme.

The 'keeper then made a vital punch as Hill's right-wing cross arrowed towards the unmarked Gilmore on the six yard line but seconds later Town were two up when Stuart Pheonix had time and space to side foot home after Walker had done superbly down the right. On half-time Jones linked up to chip just over the Glossop bar from 20 yards as Reynolds' desperate clearance fell invitingly. Now attacking the Moss End Town sought to kill the game off and Jones sent O'Neill free with a measured header but as the latter squared to the unmarked Walker in the centre, visiting keeper Merrick made an excellent save at point-blank range.

The 'keeper then bettered that with a flying tip over as O'Neill's bullet header sped for the top corner then completed a hectic spell when angling well to smother Hill's effort from 14 yards. On 63 minutes Town 'keeper Hollywood got away with a blunder when spilling Heaton's low cross at O'Connell's feet but the instinctive effort hit the post from 12 yards and it was end to end now as Town's Walker nipped past keeper Merrick's race out of goal but saw his accurate effort from a tight angle, headed off the line by Hulme.

On 65 minutes Glossop's Blow sent Jones tumbling in the box but protests were waved aside and it could have proved crucial as a minute later Glossop reduced the arrears when Phil Hulme stole in at the far post to convert Heaton's free-kick with a glancing header.

Town, however, responded within minutes when Franny Hill sweetly swept home Walker's nod down from a Phoenix free kick but it was all happening now and on 76 minutes Glossop were back in it again as Town fell to another set piece as a right-wing corner spiralled off Clarke and Chris Ringland accepted the simplest of chances at the far post.

St Helens boss Jimmy McBride instantly sent on Laird for Walker and the new man set up Town's fourth with his first touch as he teed up Franny Hill to drive past the advancing keeper and complete a quartet of goals in only nine minutes. This time plucky Glossop were finished although Hollywood had to make a scrambling save from a Levendis free kick. Town's all round good day was capped in the 85th minute when Laird pressured keeper Merrick into a miss-hit clearance and it sped along the ground to Mick Gilmore in mid-field who killed it, looked up and planted a near 40-yarder under the bar as the unfortunate Merrick scrambled backwards in vain.

Regrettably Town face their second blank Saturday in the last three weeks this weekend and are due back in action again on Wednesday February 16 when the saga of Rossendale United visit for a second round Floodlit Trophy tie should at last be resolved. Kick off at Hoghton Road is 7.30pm.

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