St Helens Town put four past Winterton Rangers in Vase

St Helens eased to a 4-0 victory, earning a Second Qualifying Round tie away to Rochdale Town on October 3, but they had to endure a few anxious moments before making the game safe in the closing stages.

Town began strongly, ripping the home side’s defence to shreds down the right flank almost at will and it came as no surprise when Jack Marshall turned his opposite number on the by-line before crossing to find striker Andy Gillespie at the near post.

The Town captain was fouled as he passed the ball along the goal-line to Ste Kelly, who netted at the far post, to put the visitors a goal up on nine minutes and almost immediately afterwards, Gillespie rattled the cross-bar from 20 yards.

Gillespie added the second goal after 26 minutes when, breaking clear, he drew the home keeper Sam Wood, then beat defender Jack Start, before burying the ball in the empty net and the lead could well have been three goals before the interval after Gillespie set up Rigby again, only for Wood to save the winger’s spinning header at the foot of the post.

This was one of a number of great saves by Wood, which kept his side in the game when all before him were crumbling in defence.

Gillespie failed to reappear at the re-start, due in no small part to the number of heavy challenges he had to bear in the first half and, as a result, Town lost much of their thrust up front.

Indeed, Winterton came back into the game during the next 40 minutes and on more than one occasion, St Helens had to thank keeper Graham McLoughlin to preserve their two-goal lead.

Town made the game safe in the last 6 minutes with further goals from substitutes Lionel Agbodjan and Marcus Perry, each setting up a chance for the other with their lightening pace to beat the offside trap and 4-0 just about summed up the visitors’ supremacy in the final assessment.

In the First Division title race, St. Helens Town sit nine points behind early pace-setters Barnton, who visit Brocestedes Park on Saturday (kick-off 3pm), but Town have three matches in hand.

One of those games was due to be played on Wednesday, an away game at Litherland REMYCA.

Next Tuesday, Town visit Rochdale Town in a First Division encounter (7.45pm start), which presents St Helens with the opportunity to gain revenge for last month’s 3-2 home defeat (their only league loss this season).

Rochdale, who ground-share with amateur Rugby League outfit Mayfield, will be playing their first home game of the campaign.

They had to surrender home advantage to Parkgate in the FA Vase at the weekend, making the trek to Rotherham before prevailing 6-5 after extra-time.

Although the three league points will be the immediate aim, the Vase clash in three weeks’ time represents an important opportunity to make further progress on the way to Wembley, picking up more valuable prize money along the way.