ST Helens Town kept up the pressure in their promotion push on Saturday with a comprehensive 5-0 win at Whitchurch Alport, but were left frustrated on Easter Monday when the home “derby” against Ashton Town was called off 20 minutes before kick-off, after the tireless efforts of Ashton Athletic and Town officials went unrewarded and the match referee felt he had no alternative but to postpone the fixture.

The net result was that St. Helens remain in eighth place, on the heels of a number of clubs in the play-off places.

Town still have nine games left, six of which are at home. Key games come this Saturday at Irlam (3pm), followed by Stockport Town at home on Tuesday (7.45pm). Further crucial matches come thick and fast: Ashton Town away on 9th April, Hanley Town at home on 12th April, Northwich Manchester Villa at home on 16th April, Whitchurch on 23rd April, Bacup at home on 27th April and a trip to Barnton on 30th April with a new date for Ashton Town at home to be arranged.

Town are only four points behind Cheadle and Stockport in 4th and 5th places, with games in hand on both. If St. Helens can maintain their good form and do well against the teams around them, they could well finish above Cheadle, Stockport and Holker in fifth place which would probably earn a trip to Litherland REMYCA in the play-off semi-final.

With luck, they could finish even higher and qualify for a home semi-final, but they have to keep winning.

Equally importantly, the top four clubs will enter the qualifying rounds in the FA Cup, with the chance to earn valuable prize money, which has not come Town’s way since they left Knowsley Road in 2010.

As for Saturday’s game, the first half was a tight affair against the Division’s basement club, who acquitted themselves quite well in defence, but had little to offer up front.

In contrast, Town were free to launch their attacks from the back and Aaron Morris and Ste Rigby, who are accomplished midfielders, fit in well at full back. A free kick from Danny Greene, who has done well in recent weeks out on the left, found the head of Morris at the far post on the quarter-hour and his goal separated the sides at half-time.

As the teams left the field, the heavens opened and a veritable cloudburst greeted them as they began the second half.

George Lomax extended the lead almost from the resumption and the referee appeared ready to bring a halt to proceedings but the elements abated just enough for him to see his linesmen again and play continued. Shortly afterwards, a penalty was awarded against Town for handball, but Matt Hodge pulled off his second spot kick save in three games to deny Whitchurch a goal.

This appeaed to be the catalyst for Town to step up the pace of the game and Rigby quickly added a third goal, then turned provider for debutant Shaun Brady, a product of Town’s youth system, who came off the bench to score emphatically in the 64th minute and Andy Gillespie wrapped up the scoring with his 26th of the season with eight minutes remaining, hitting home the rebound from Rigby’s shot.

It really was a stroll in the second half and with a little more patience and accuracy, Town might well have scored eight or nine. Unfortunately, there was to be no respite for Whitchurch on Easter Monday, for they went down 11-1 at second-placed Barnton, to cap a miserable weekend for the Shropshire lads.