ST HELENS put up a strong fight but succumbed to a red-hot Irlam side in their North West Counties League game on Saturday, writes Glyn Jones.

After a tight first half, Matty Boland put the title chasers in front shortly before the interval, which prompted Town to come out of their shell and attack.

However, they were hit with a sucker punch midway through the second half when Jordan Southworth doubled the lead.

Ed Pegler was sent off for two bookings to compound Town’s misery and the hosts comfortably saw out the win, leaving Town three points outside the NWCL First Division play-offs.

Town went into the game without suspended defender Adam Lawrence, so a reshuffled defence was always going to be tested against a side unbeaten in 10 matches.

Town did manage to beat their hosts 3-1 in the reverse fixture earlier this season and, after a slightly nervous opening, the visitors started to assert themselves with Andy Gillespie, Ed Pegler and Danny Greene looking particularly threatening.

Despite this period of pressure, though, Town weren’t able to create any significant chances and the Irlam defence.

The momentum began to shift towards the end of the first half as the hosts managed to get a foothold in the game and exert some pressure on the St Helens defence.

That pressure paid off in the 37th minute when full-back Richard Peters sent a cross into the area and, with the Town defence switched off, Boland deftly flicked the ball over the head of goalkeeper Matt Hodge to give Irlam the advantage at the break.

Spurred on by that set-back before the break, the visitors flew out of the blocks for the second half and sent a couple of shots narrowly wide from distance as they sought a much-needed equaliser.

However, Irlam were showing just why they were fighting for the title and took a vice-like defensive grip on the St Helens forwards, with Gillespie and partner George Lomax starved of the service they needed.

The hosts were also dominating the midfield battle, monopolising possession and adding to the growing frustration in the Town ranks.

Jack Marshall and Matt Davidson were introduced from the bench to try and spark the visitors into life, but it only had a limited impact and Irlam soon doubled the lead with help from a familiar face.

Former St Helens striker Marcus Perry, who scored for Town in the last meeting between the sides, came off the bench for Irlam and he unleashed a cracking shot which rebounded back of Hodge’s far post.

With the goalkeeper helpless, Southworth was on hand to tuck in the rebound and bring Irlam the second goal their domination deserved.

Town were clearly exasperated at how the game had got away from them and an unfortunate example of that frustration came in the game’s closing minutes.

Having already been booked in the first half for needlessly kicking the ball away, Pegler launched into a high challenge on Irlam substitute Isaac Illidge and left the referee with no alternative but to produce a second yellow card.

With eight games of the season left, Town have a three-point gap to make up in the tight race for play-off places.

They are due to host Stockport Town tonight before travelling to Ashton Town this Saturday.