Brilliant Winsford's biggest win since 1994 makes a mockery of their league position

Winsford United 5

Farsley Celtic 0

UniBond Division One

Saturday, April 14

BLUES manager Steve Shaughnessy said after this thrashing that he wouldn't be happy unless his team could follow up with a win at North Ferriby two days later writes Nick Smith.

But even he must have been quietly ecstatic as Winsford pulled off their biggest league win for six-and-a-half years. In a way, it's a shame the manager only had 46 hours to enjoy tearing Farsley to pieces, because there was much to drool over.

This includes Shaughnessy's own contribution, ending his recent drought with the game's most important goal, the second just before half-time, which gave his side the platform for their second half goal avalanche.

There was strike partner Danny Worthington, who took his season's tally to 20 with a double, while Wes Simspon and Andy Burns gave the solid, invincible look the back four has been missing since the loss of Steve Hibbert.

In midfield, the terrier-like persistence of David Mayes and Martin Gwinnett was complemented perfectly by Dougie Pitts' unorthodox wing play, while everything stemmed from the creativity of Mike Scully.

Scully opened the scoring, if not the floodgates, in the seventh minute when he teased his way past Damian Holmes and coolly slid the ball past Liam Sutcliffe.

But the afternoon could have turned out very differently when David Pierce, who was being given far too many back passes to deal with on such a bumpy pitch, mis-kicked straight to Farsley striker Andy Cygan in the 25th minute.

With an open goal in front of him the striker decided to shoot first time, but he must have wanted the uneven ground to swallow him whole as his shot rolled wide of the gaping target.

Off the hook, Winsford hit back when Scully's corner was met by Burns in the 43rd minute. The defender's volley may have been a shot on goal, but he sliced it so badly it ended up back at the feet of Scully - it was just one of those days when luck was on their side.

This time, Scully's cross was aimed at a more reliable target and the head of Shaughnessy expertly guided the ball into the top corner.

A thrilling spell of three goals in nine minutes completed the rout early in the second half.

Worthington produced the best moment of the game on 52 minutes when he clinically trapped an awkward high ball, shifted it to one his deadly left foot and sent a low 25-yard drive fizzing in off the post.

Three minutes later he struck his 20th of the season, turning in Scully's cross from the left on edge of the six-yard box.

Just past the hour mark it was Scully again providing the goods for Adrian Riley to glance in the fifth, his second goal in two games from left back.

With an Easter Monday game coming up, Winsford could afford to take it easy for the last half hour. Now how often in these recent troubled years have they been afforded that luxury?

Winsford: Pierce, Morley, Riley, Burns, Simpson (Pollitt 89), Mayes, Pitts, Gwinnett, Worthington, Shaughnessy (Greaves 68), Scully. Not used: Lowe. Man of the Match: Mike Scully.