Prescot Cables recorded their first league victory in six games with this comfortable win at Valerie Park, courtesy of a Phil Bannister hat trick.

Cables kicked off playing towards the Hope Street End. Jamie McCulloch played a defence splitting pass to put Connor McCarthy through on goal, but he was ruled offside. Padiham replied with Jordan and Craig linking up down the left side, Craig’s shot being comfortably taken by Nick Culkin.

After 7 minutes, Connor McCarthy played the ball to Jamie McCulloch inside the penalty area who shot wide of the target. Padiham played a long ball into the box for Pickup but Culkin came to the rescue taking the ball comfortably. Padiham were looking dangerous down the flanks, and Carter played the ball in from the right side to Pickup but he failed to connect properly and his shot was taken by Culkin.

Padiham continued to assert the early pressure, and after a free kick by Pickup was cleared by the Cables defence, Jordan crossed for Flint whose powerful header was flicked over the bar by Culkin for a corner.

On 20 minutes McCulloch played in Breen inside the box whose shot on the turn went wide of the far post. Bannister then crossed for Connor McCarthy but the Pad ham defence cleared the danger. Jamie McCulloch picked up the ball from a deep midfield situation and broke into the Padiham box unleashing a fierce shot which Davie pushed away for a corner.

A cross by Ryan was headed over by Coyle as Cables continued to press. Cables took the lead on 34 minutes when Bannister’s shot from the right side of the penalty area was deflected by a Padiham defender over Jones and into the far corner of the goal.

2 minutes later and Bannister was in again, this time his fierce shot from the left side rebounding off the goal post. After this spell of Cables pressure, Padiham caught Cables on the break, Morris’s cross being met by Sharples, but Culkin saved again.

Padiham began the second half on the offensive. A free kick taken by Craig was headed on by Sharples but the Cables defence cleared the danger.

Another free kick taken by Sharples went straight to Nick Culkin who collected comfortably. On 54 minutes Cables increased their lead when McCarthy played the ball into Bannister who took it into the penalty area and slotted it past the keeper to make it 2-0 to Cables.

McCarthy then produced a fine defence splitting pass to put Bannister through but Davis in the Padiham goal was first to the ball.

Padiham were awarded free kick which was taken by keeper Davis from which Jordan and Carter went down the left crossing for Sharples who hit his shot wide of the target. Cables made their first substitution Kusaloka replacing Breen and he was soon in action chasing a long clearance by Culkin, but Davis was first to the ball.

On 70 minutes, Cables scored their third goal, when after McCarthy’s cross was cleared by the Padiham defence, Bannister intercepted the ball on the edge of the penalty area and fired home into the far corner of the net.

Padiham wasted a glorious chance to pull a goal back when Flint was clean through but he stumbled as he was about to shoot and he hit his shot tamely wide of the post. Cables made their second change of the afternoon, Cliff replacing Gilroy. Isaac Kusaloka came close to increasing Cables tally, his fine shot being saved by Davis.

Padiham looking for a consolation goal forced three corners in quick succession, the second of which was headed away at the near post by McCulloch. Cables made their final change, Pouncey for McCarthy.

Cables one last chance, Kusaloka breaking down the left and firing across the penalty area but none of his team mates were in a position to reach the ball.

Prescot Cables: Culkin, Evans, Ryan, Cairns, Coyle, Gilroy, McCulloch, Bannister, Breen, McCarthy, Pinto-Viera. Substitutes: Shirley, Pouncey, Kusaloka, Cliff, Lowton.

Padiham: Davis, Jones, Morris, Flint, Overson, Craig, Sharples, Turner, Carter, K Pickup, Jordan.

Substitutes: Jordan, Murphy, S Pickup, Allen, Burgess.