St Helens Town 1 AFC Blackpool 3: Victory sees AFC go top of the table

AFC had gone into the game on the back of Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Nelson but four changes were forced upon manager Martin Baird with injuries meaning places for Carnan Dawson, Matt Lawlor, James Hughes and Oscar Radcliffe.

However, they started the game on the front foot with Ben Roberts and Dawson combining to cause all sorts of problems.

Dawson threaded a pass down the line to Roberts, whose low ball was poked wide by Jacob Gregory.

The breakthrough came on 12 minutes when John-Jo Morris slotted a lovely weighted ball through to Gregory, who beat the onrushing keeper.

The home side had a golden chance to equalise when striker Oghenetega Okeregha was sent through, one-on-one, but fired wide under pressure from Dan Hall.

AFC spurned a chance to go further ahead when, on 23 minutes, Gregory and Billy McKenna combined but Roberts fired wide from close range.

Radcliffe couldn’t keep a header on target from Ryan McLean’s corner but the second goal came on the half-hour mark.

McLean burst forward and found Gregory, who spun and fired into the top corner from 20 yards as AFC led 2-0 at half-time.

The second half saw the home side start brightly with a couple of dangerous runs, but it was AFC who scored again on 51 minutes.

Substitute Jacob Aspinall, making his first appearance of the season, fired low past the keeper.

Radcliffe saw a header fall wide of the post before St Helens grabbed a goal back in the 71st minute through Neil Weaver.

AFC are back in action on Saturday when they travel to Bacup Borough.

AFC Blackpool: Hall, Hughes, Higham, Lawlor, Dawson, Radcliffe, McLean, Gregory, Morris, Roberts. Subs: Wilson, Duffield, Pickering, Buchan, Aspinall.

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