Alport (3) 5 Eccleshall (0) 0
Whitchurch Alport put on a five star performance in front of their own supporters to move to the top of the Hallmark Security League Division One table, with a 5-0 win against Eccleshall. A hat-trick from man-of-the-match Si Everall and a brace from fellow strike partner Mike Blundell, made it two wins in four days for the Yockings men. Eccleshall simply had no answer to the onslaught and in truth they might have shipped a few more but for their goalkeeper Stuart Robertson, and when Robertson was beaten the crossbar rescued the Staffordshire side on two occasions.
Alport had been dominant from the off and skipper Everall was guilty of a glaring miss when he glanced an early header wide, totally unmarked and only eight yards out. Blundell was first to show with a really nice finish high into the net to get the Reds up and running on 16 minutes and former Eccleshall man, Dean Twigg, had two really good opportunities to score before Si got on the end of a great George Ward cross to net from close range after 24 minutes. Blundell turned provider six minutes later with a well delivered free-kick that was headed home powerfully by Si Everall for his second of the night. Alport kept their foot to the floor and went down the tunnel with a three goal advantage and on the restart, they immediately made it four. Ward was again credited with an assist and Blundell glanced his header past Robertson and into the bottom corner.
The Reds were forced into three changes and with Matty Ashbrook returning from injury and Nick Marley given the last half hour, the pace on both flanks destroyed Eccleshall. Dan Tinsley was desperately unlucky to see his thunderbolt cannon down from the crossbar eight minutes from time, but close to the whistle, Si completed his treble to earn the side a standing ovation from the 125 supporters in the ground.
Back in January, Alport had fallen to a 0-5 home defeat against Eccleshall on their way to finishing bottom of the North West Counties League. How ironic then, that this mirrored but in reverse scoreline, has turned the table upside down in just seven months.
Next up for the league leaders is a trip to Cumbria where they will take on Holker Old Boys.
*The football club would like to thank their supporters for coming to watch the side. Next home game is Charnock Richard on Saturday week.