Atherton Collieries 0 St Helens Town 3

Vauxhall GM 1 St Helens Town 4 BACK to their best, Town threatened a rout at lowly Atherton Collieries in Saturday's league game where the margin of victory could easily have been doubled.

But it was at Ellesmere Port on Tuesday night that they reached near-perfection in handing out a rare hiding to Vauxhall GM in the Floodlit Trophy semi-final first leg. Next Wednesday the return leg takes place at Hoghton Road 7.30pm when Town will be just 90 minutes away from their first cup final appearance for four years and barring a major upset, a final tie against either Burscough or Kidsgrove Athletic awaits (1-1 was the score of their first leg semi).

The seeds for Tuesday's great win were sown at Atherton on Saturday as Mick Gilmore returned to midfield after a lengthy ban and his influence spelled a whole new attitude than of late and the side dominated throughout.

Despite this they were only one goal to the good at the break courtesy of Steve O'Neill who was indebted to Pennington who intercepted a back header before showing fine awareness in hooking the ball over.

After the break and now playing down the slope Town went two up within a minute when Williams did the spadework for Steve Pennington to fire home at the near post and Town went into overdrive. Home keeper Blenkinship did very well on several occasions while defenders Nuttall and Wright made vital blocks but it was the linesman's flag which ruled out a stunning strike by Quirk on 50 minutes. Somehow the Collieries goal held out until the 80th minute when Steve O'Neill stabbed home Town's third to round off a convincing win.

At Vauxhall GM Town bid for a place in the Floodlit Trophy final took an eighth minute setback when the high flying hosts went ahead in their first real attack when Blundell was allowed a free header from a free-kick.

However, directly from the re-start Town equalised when superb control and pass by Pennington enabled Steve O'Neill to lob keeper Byrne to record a precious away goal. Playing lovely football Town stretched the Vauxhall defence in which McLoughlin did well but the travelling St Helens support was celebrating again on 17 minutes when Williams excelled in midfield before a precision pass sent Steve Pennington on to crash a 20-yarder into the far corner.

Territorially the contest was even but it was the Town invention in the final third which tipped the scales and 26 minutes a lovely piece of individual skill by O'Neill left Schumaker and keeper Byrne in his wake before joyfully slotting home goal number three. As good as the situation was it got even better as irrepressible Town went further ahead in the 31st minute when again O'Neill's close skill provided a tap in for Steve Williams who began and finished another flowing move to make it 4-1.

After the break Vauxhall's Blundell twice failed from good positions but Town had their sights firmly fixed and but for a brilliant save by Byrne in tipping over Pennington's header they could have gone nap. Town return home on Saturday to face FA Vase quarter finalists and NWCL title favourites Kidsgrove Athletic (3pm).

The draw for the Liverpool Senior Cup quarter finals means Town travel to Vauxhall Conference side Southport on Tuesday, March 10. Kick off at Haig Avenue is 7.45pm.

Lottery numbers 3, 6, 9, 10, 15, 17. (No winners).

This weeks jackpot £780 on 1-16.

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