Radcliffe Boro 4 Trafford 2

JODY Banim and Tony Whealing both scored twice as Radcliffe Borough continued their improvement in the league at Stainton Park on Bonfire Night.

Played against a backdrop of exploding fireworks, the cacophony of sound and light didn't prevent Boro producing their best home performance of the season so far.

Following on from last Saturday's first home league win of the season, this latest offering fired hopes that Boro may, at last, be getting close to producing the form that may yet re-ignite a season that was in danger of petering out before it had really got started.

With three promotion play-off places up for grabs as well as the two automatic promotion slots, there is still plenty to play for if Boro can sustain the sort of display they put on on Tuesday night.

They did it the hard way, battling back after going behind to a 24th minute Trafford opener, but played some attractive football to put themselves into a commanding 4-1 lead with over half an hour still to play.

Eamon Elliott was to the fore, hitting the bar in the 18th minute, after Boro made a bright start. The home defence was caught napping six minutes later though when former Boro striker Dave Collins laid the ball off in the penalty area for Alan Cowley to fire Trafford into a shock lead.

Elliott when close again when he raced clear, only to fire wide on the half hour, but seven minutes later Whealing cashed in on a sloppy back pass to slot in a soft equaliser.

It took Boro just five more minutes to improve on that with the best goal of the game when Banim fired in low from a Richard Battersby cross to finish off a lovely move.

The goal was also perfectly timed, giving Boro a 2-1 half-time lead, and they never looked back after that.

Five minutes into the second half Banim grabbed his second after indulging in a bout of head tennis with strike partner Neill Hardy.

Elliott's cross from the right was headed back across goal by Hardy and Banim was there right on the post to head home.

If that goal had it's funny side, Whealing's second in the 58th minute had them in stitches as he floated the ball in Seaman-like over Trafford keeper Andy Moore's head from way out on the left touchline.

Boro used all their substitutes, blooding new boys Steve Spencer and Will Archer, but it was Simon Kay who could have made a rname for himself when he headed agonisingly wide with his first touch after coming on in the 67th minute.

That proved to be the last real chance for Boro, but the scoring wasn't finished yet as Collins headed home from Mark Phillips' 87th minute cross to give the scoreline a slightly more respectable look if you were a Trafford fan.

RADCLIFFE BOROUGH: Hurst 7, Battersby 7, Whealing 8, Kelly 7, Diggle 7, Elliott 8, Spooner 7, Wilson 7, Hardy 7, Banim 8, Price 7. Substitutes: Spencer (for Elliott, 59 mins) 6, Kay (for Price, 67 mins) 6, Archer (for Spooner, 71 mins).