ST Helens Town’s young squad put a turbulent week behind them following the resignation of joint manager Nick Matthews with a dominant performance at struggling Eccleshall in the Second Round of the Macron Cup, where they made progress to the last sixteen by virtue of a 5-3 win.

In truth, it could well have been double figures for a Town side which had 38 shots at goal, 30 of which were on target, but for an outstanding shot-stopping performance by home keeper Stuart Robertson who was, by some distance, man of the match.

With the other joint manager Alan Gillespie still away in America, coaching duties passed to Lee Jenkinson and captain Andy Gillespie, who dropped himself to the bench for the afternoon, in order to assess the attacking strength at his disposal, but it was soon obvious that there was a world of difference between the two sides, though Eccleshall tried as hard as they could to nullify Town’s attacking force.

Luke Edwards went close in the sixth minute, but his shot went narrowly wide from 22 yards.

However, Dale Korie-Butler put Town into the lead from a Danny Greene corner four minutes later and they never looked likely to be caught.

Paul Carney was next to test Robertson with a header, which brought about a fine fingertip save, then Stuart McDonald saw his shot just tipped over the home bar.

On 16 minutes, McDonald’s rasping drive stung Robertson’s hands, but the ball stayed out of the home goal.

32 minutes had past when Korie-Butler connected with a great volley under pressure from a defender, but his shot just cleared the cross-bar, then Andy Webster was just wide with a header.

Town grabbed a second goal in the 38th minute, again from a Greene corner, this time from the left side, captain for the day Ant Whelan nipping in between a crowd of Eccleshall defenders to head powerfully home on the far post to double the advantage and send Town in 2-0 up at the break.

Just after the interval, Eccleshall unexpectedly scored against the run of play, Tom Wakefield netting on the break, but St Helens immediately reinstated their two-goal lead when Korie-Butler added his second and Town’s third, netting at the right-hand post to take the score to 3-1.

Ten minutes later, Danny Greene stretched the lead still further from similar range before the home side pulled back another through Jack Flanaghan to make it 4-2 with 23 minutes remaining.

McDonald was rewarded for all his hard work when he scored Town’s final goal following an intelligent break to secure the win at 5-2 and Danny Greene was unfortunate to hit a post with a well-struck drive a few moments later.

Gillespie appeared for the last ten minutes and looked likely to score on two occasions, but was thwarted by Robertson.

With three minutes left, Danny Vickers scored another consolation goal for Eccleshall to give the final score a little more respectability from the home side’s point of view at 5-3 but, to be honest, they were never in the game as a contest.

The draw for the Third Round has rewarded Town with a home game against Premier Division Bootle which will take place at Prescot on Saturday, 26th November, kick-off at 3pm.

In the meantime, Town’s next games are both at home, this Saturday to Daisy Hill, in the Reusch First Division Cup, kick-off at 3pm, and then a league game against Cheadle Town on Thursday, kick-off at 7.45pm.