Maine Road 1

St Helens Town 2 IT was mission accomplished as St Helens Town opened their new season at bright and breezy Chorlton-cum-Hardy where hosts Maine Road showed dogged resistance after almost being over-run in the early stages.

Injuries, and suspensions overhanging from last season's tail end robbed Town boss Jimmy McBride of a handful of his new recruits.

But it was one of the 'old boys' who stole the show as Gary Laird bagged both goals to supplement his all action display. Ironically he would have been on the bench had Lee Cooper not broken down in the pre-match warm-up but he grabbed his opportunity in style.

Town soon had Maine Road stretched as Ashton had a volley blocked by Wadsworth and only a vital intervention by the chest of Simms prevented Quirk's pass sending Fearns in the clear.

Home full-back Simms was involved at the other end in his side's first real attack but his long range volley passed harmlessly wide. On 10 minutes Town came very close once more when Jackson's vital block denied Fearns at close range but a goal was coming and it arrived on 13 minutes. Town keeper Phil Wood was the mainspring with a confident catch and a missile-like throw out which sent Nestor darting down the right before crossing for Gary Laird to trawl in a ball which was evading him and with keeper Marrey committed out of his ground, the Town striker lobbed home from 25 yards.

Maine Road responded with a Russell effort which cleared the bar but it was isolated stuff as Town pressed and probed for more and on 23 minutes they should have gone two up when great skill by Fearns saw him brought down by the keeper but Marrey guessed right to beat out Waring's penalty kick. The failure from the spot saw Town lose their impetus and in only their second real attack Maine Road levelled through Mark Mitchell who's viciously swerving blast found the net despite Wood getting both hands to it. Though by now not as dominant, Town were always the more likely and it took an excellent double save by home keeper Marrey to prevent a St Helens interval lead as both Fearns and Laird were denied in quick succession.

Town resumed after the break with the breeze at their backs and new boy Terry Fearns twice came close but was denied in a six yard scramble before rounding the keeper minutes later only to run the ball too far. From this point Town got edgy at not having things wrapped up and Maine Road started to post a couple of warning signs as Mitchell fired across the goal face before a Hargreaves-Russell link needed a vital tackle by Town skipper Alan Johnson.

Home sub Crane was also making his presence felt and Wood had to make a stretching punch to thwart an inswinging corner but it was Town sub Tony Scott whose impact decided the points.

As the game entered its final 20 minutes he repeatedly left defenders in his wake with bursts up the right only to cross poorly but with six minutes left he got it right and a great cross invited a text book header from Gary Laird who bulleted the ball past Marrey's right hand. Town could relax and Scott himself almost made it three when chesting down to fire beyond the far post but the three points were all that mattered now and they were in the bag.

Town face two games in three days this Bank Holiday weekend. They travelling to County Durham on Saturday for an AXA FA Cup preliminary tie at Tow Law. (Coach leaves Knowsley Road 9.30am, kick off 3pm). On Monday Town are at Flixton in a league game, kick off 3pm.

Any resultant Tow Law replay is at Knowsley Road on Thursday, August 31, kick off 7.45pm.