North West Counties League Premier Division: Barnoldswick Town 3, Squires Gate 0

BARNOLDSWICK made it four wins on the bounce to keep them top of the table with a convincing victory at the Silentnight Stadium.

Town started slowly with the visitors making all the running.

Gate's Ashley Rowley forced Jordan Gidley into making a good save in the fifth minute. Rowley then hit a dangerous ball across the Town six-yard line which was cleared for a corner.

Three minutes later a quick break by the visitors saw centre half Joshua Westwood break forward. His shot was on target forcing Gidley into making another diving save.

Town’s first promising attack came on ten minutes. Ben Gorman cut along the visitors' penalty area before unleashing a fierce shot that cannoned back off Ben Fletcher's crossbar.

Two minutes later Town's Harry Thompson broke clear on the right and crossed for Gorman, but his close-range shot was blocked.

But Barnoldswick's pressure paid off after 14 minutes with Tinning cracking a great shot past Fletcher to put Town ahead.

The home side went further ahead two minutes later. Gorman hit a cross to the corner of the six-yard box for Tinning who saw his fierce shot turned in at the near post by Mark Threlfall.

Squires Gate were then forced to make a substitution with the injured Chris Anderson making way for Jacob Higham. It didn’t take Higham long to get into the game as he forced Gidley into tipping a shot over the bar.

At the other end Thompson took a quick free kick for Threlfall who tried to lob Fletcher from the edge of the penalty area. But the ball dropped just over the bar on to the top of the net.

Threlfall then caught the ball on the volley from a Barnes corner forcing Fletcher into a good save. Threlfall was then involved at the other end when he stopped Alex Colquhoun with a timely tackle just inside the Town penalty area.

The visitors started the second half well with Cummings having a cross turned over for a corner.

Gidley then had to turn a Westwood header over the bar. Town made a substitution on 59 minutes with Jack Hargreaves replacing Tinning.

Gidley saved with his legs from what looked like a certain goal from Rowley on his six-yard line.

Airey then played Threlfall through to the edge of the visitors' penalty area and the Town striker thundered a fierce shot against Fletcher's left upright.

A far-post corner saw Threlfall get in a header which was cleared off the line by Andrew Richards. The ball then bounced along the goalline to Christopher Ridehalgh who turned it in.

Town's next fixture is at home to Winsford United on Saturday.