ST Helens Town gained revenge over Eccleshall, easing to a 3-0 win, to wipe out the memory of a 3-2 home defeat to the same side just before Christmas.

However, they did not have things all their own way and might have been a couple of goals in arrears in a first half which saw the home side waste a number of seemingly easy chances, whilst Matt Hodge had another outstanding match in goal for Town.

On a heavy pitch, Town began well, but Eccleshall soon tested the visitors’ defence with a number of surges upfield which ought to have resulted in at least one goal.

In one particular attack 13 minutes in, Hodge blocked a good shot from Danny Jones only for the same player to hit the rebound over the bar.

Shortly afterwards, Hodge tipped a fine shot round his left post to deny another opportunity.

Midway through the first half, Town turned the tide and Hamish Falconer, making a belated seasonal debut, headed just over the bar on 25 minutes and was just wide of the right post with another similar effort a minute later.

Andy Gillespie’s free-kick was turned against his post by Martin Spencer in the Eccleshall goal eight minutes before the interval, but Ste Rigby fired wide from the rebound.

Just before half-time, Town went ahead, debutant Sam Sheen placing the ball just out of Spencer’s reach with a shot from 12 yards.

A minute into the second half, Town extended their lead. Several players were involved in a neat passing move straight off the training ground, which resulted in Rigby springing the offside trap and firing neatly into the roof of the Eccleshall net from the corner of the box.

The home side still had chances, but Town always looked the more likely scorers. Andy Gillespie burst through on 55 minutes but a fine tackle from Jack Beech on the edge of the box denied the St. Helens skipper.

Fifteen minutes later, Gillespie again bore down on goal but this time the big striker fired narrowly wide.

With 12 minutes left, Hodge brought down Adam Jones in the penalty area, an action which earned him a yellow card, but the Town keeper easily saved Danny Jones’ spot-kick.

The final action of the game saw substitute Aaron Morris pull off a great tackle 30 yards out on the right touch-line, turn quickly and find Gillespie in the box and his inch-perfect drive, despite the attention of two defenders, hit the back of Spencer’s net to wrap up the proceedings at 3-0.

This was a second consecutive clean sheet for Town, whose next game sees them on the road again on Saturday when they travel to third-placed Cheadle, a side who took a point away from Brocstedes Park in a 2-2 draw in September.

They surprisingly lost 4-2 at home last Saturday to Litherland REMYCA, so St. Helens will be hopeful of coming away from Park Road with a positive result as they aim to climb further up the table in search of a promotion play-off spot, which would guarantee qualification for next season’s FA Cup competition.