Our table-topping young guns earned their fifth straight victory in the Football Conference Youth Alliance with a comfortable 3-1 triumph at Stalybridge Celtic earlier today.
The Stags, who are now 10 points ahead of second-placed Gateshead at the league summit, dictated play for lengthy periods in an encounter that was heavily affected due to atrocious winds.
On a bobbly pitch that cut up badly as the game progressed, winger Jordan Vilums saw an early spot-kick saved by Stalybridge shot-stopper Anthony Windle.
Nevertheless, following some terrific work from full-back Keiran Coupe, Vilums atoned for his error with a fine back-post cross, which was nonchalantly tucked away by Jack Hawkins on 21 minutes.
Stalybridge grabbed an equaliser on the half-hour mark as Jordan Leach’s pull-back found Tyler Cameron on the edge of the area, who fired powerfully into the bottom corner.
However, Ben Birch re-established our lead three minutes prior to the interval, as he poked home the rebound after Kurtis Turner’s thunderbolt free-kick crashed back off the woodwork.
Substitute Ross Lamb doubled our advantage in the second half, when he latched onto a defence-splitting pass from Jack Thomas and fired venomously into the net.
Striker Remi Davis almost added a fourth goal in stoppage-time, whilst centre-back Jason Gregory also saw an effort fumbled by Windle amidst a goalmouth scramble.
Team: Hopkins, Coupe, Birch, Gregory, Marsden, Vilums (Davis), Turner (c), Thomas, Hawkins, Jordan Jones (Matt Jones), Flint (Lamb). Unused Subs: Fell, Williams, Chambers.