St Helens Town played well for portions of their FA Vase Second Round Qualifying tie at Mayfield Sports Centre, holding hosts Rochdale Town 1-1 at the break, but a poor spell of twelve minutes saw the visitors concede four goals and they ultimately had to bend the knee to superior opposition.

This was the third time this season that Town have met and lost to their new East Lancashire rivals and, barring being drawn together in the Reusch First Division Cup, they will certainly be glad they won’t be meeting them again any time soon.

St. Helens are rebuilding their team once again, having been relegated from the NW Counties Premier Division at the end of last season and, having opened well with three straight wins, they now find themselves coming up against more experienced sides who have evidently played together for much longer.

Missing a number of defenders through injury and unavailability, Town began with two more youthful debutants (including Adam Lawrence, grandson of the former Liverpool goalkeeper Tommy) and another on the bench.

Johann du Toit had an early chance to score from a header, but failed to trouble Mike Smith in the home goal.

Shortly afterwards, Town paid the price after a slip in defence allowed their now-familiar nemesis Johnny Thompson to net at the other post on 25 minutes, but the visitors rallied, firstly keeper Graham McLoughlin saving well from Thompson in quick succession before captain Andy Gillespie put du Toit clear but, rounding the last defender, the Billinge midfielder chose the wrong side and again made it easy for Smith to save.

Play switched to the other end and St. Helens were let off the hook as first Gareth Hill and then Lee Kershaw hit the bar in rapid succession, but then Declan Gregson levelled the scores with a wonderful shot under Smith’s body, finishing off a wonderful training-ground move involving a slick interchange passing between Gillespie and du Toit.

Rochdale went ahead seven minutes after the resumption, Thompson scoring his second goal, seizing upon a long punt upfield from Smith, which the Town defence allowed to bounce in the visitors’ box.

Nevertheless, they did have chances to level again, but Graham Begley scooped his shot over the home bar and Gillespie looked to have found Gregson in space in front of goal, but the chance slipped by due to quick defending.

Liam Bennion put Rochdale 3-1 up after 75 minutes and this was followed in quick succession by further goals from Ryan Burgess (77) and two from substitute Scott Alfrey in the 79th and 87th minutes.

A late penalty, awarded for handball, was dispatched by Gillespie for his 11th goal of the season, to bring the final score to 6-2. Although this was quite a comprehensive defeat in the final analysis, spare a thought for poor Dinnington Town, who went down 15-1 at West Didsbury & Chorlton, who had nine different scorers plus two own goals.

St. Helens now return to league action with two home games in four days.

Chadderton are the visitors to Brocstedes Park on Saturday (kick-off 3pm), when new St. Helens North MP Conor McGinn will be the chief guest and then, in a match which has the ring of a Super League encounter, Widnes form the opposition on Tuesday evening, with a 7.45pm start.

Both games have significance for Town as the opening day’s fixtures saw St Helens win 3-1 at Chadderton and although they yet to meet Widnes in a league fixture, Town will be looking to avenge their Men United Cup defeat at Widnes last season, when they let slip a 4-1 half-time lead, before going out after extra-time and a penalty shoot-out.