Match report: Garstang 3 Euxton Villa 0

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Having been runner-up in the competition for the past two seasons, Garstang applied the early pressure without creating any clear-cut chances.

Euxton saw one early effort go high and wide but Garstang had two chances in quick succession with one being blocked and the other narrowly off target.

The deadlock was broken on the half-hour mark when Alan Coar collected the ball on the edge of the area before turning and firing into the bottom corner.

Villa fought back and, in the next couple of minutes, Riversiders’ keeper Dan Curwen did well to hang onto a deflected cross before making a smart save.

Those scares turned out to be the last time Curwen was troubled as the Riversiders took control of the game.

Alan Coar saw a shot from 18 yards come back off the base of the post before combining with brother Ric and crossing to Jonny Hothersall, who had the ball was nipped off his toe at the last second.

It was only a matter of time before the second goal, which duly arrived two minutes from half-time.

Pressure on halfway led to Euxton miscontrolling the ball and Hothersall racing in on goal before unselfishly squaring for Ric Coar to tap in from six yards.

Leading 2-0 at half-time, Garstang began the second half on the front foot and made it 3-0 on 52 minutes.

A quick throw on the right saw Dan Birch deliver a pinpoint cross towards Alan Coar, who dispatched the ball into the net with a trademark thumping header.

Euxton made two changes as they tried to get a foothold in the game but, with Kieran O’Connor and Josh Westwood in imperious form in the centre of the Garstang defence, it was all in vain.

Gary Fawcett had a chance for Garstang but his shot was well saved before Alan Coar had a chance to complete his hat-trick but shot wide.

If any one was going to add to the score then it was Garstang as Kieran O’Connor released the lively Ryan Dodd, who hit the side-netting.

Then, in the last minute, Tom Graham headed on Dodd’s corner but was denied by a fingertip save.

That was the last of the action which then saw the Garstang celebrations begin.