Garstang 5-0 Slyne-with-Hest

Garstang put the pressure on from the start, winning a couple of early corners with Alan Coar heading an effort just over.

At the other end, Slyne’s Garry Hunter wasn’t far off with a 20-yard, sidefooted attempt.

The game settled down with neither side wanting to give an inch but the deadlock was broken on 20 minutes.

Tom Entwistle’s free-kick from 25 yards hit the underside of the bar before bouncing out to Dan Birch, who headed it to Ric Coar who scored from close range.

Early in the second half Entwistle hit the post with another free-kick before he looked certain to score a few minutes later in a goal mouth scramble. However, he was crowded out and his cross was volleyed wide by Alan Coar.

With Garstang having failed to increase their advantage, Slyne took heart and started to press for the equaliser.

They forced a couple of corners and Riversiders’ keeper Dan Curwen had to dive full length to tip an effort round the post.

A telling moment came in the 70th minute when Slyne hit the underside of the bar and saw the ball cleared by the Riversiders’ defence.

Two minutes later Garstang doubled their lead as the industrious Shaun Sailor won a free-kick on the left touchline.

Entwistle swung in the ball and Kieran O’Connor got up in front of the keeper to flick a header over him and into the net. By now Slyne were suffering in the heat and, on 75 minutes, it was 3-0 when Ryan Dodd beautifully controlled a high ball and laid it off to Alan Coar near the penalty spot, where he buried the opportunity.

Dodd made it four himself, sidefooting a volley into the empty net after Connor Crossley and Callum Moore got in each other’s way and Crossley could only misdirect his header. There was still time for Alan Coar to score a fifth goal, smashing a 20-yarder in off the post to complete the scoring.