WARRINGTON Rylands were in seventh heaven this afternoon as they closed the gap on league leaders Radcliffe.

With the Northern Premier League Premier Division table-toppers not in league action, Michael Clegg's side emphatically took the chance to trim their lead to six points ahead of next weekend's meeting between the two.

New signing Joe Adams was at the heart of a thrashing of Stafford Rangers as he netted a hat-trick, with Adamah Sidibeh bagging a brace at Gorsey Lane.

Mo Touray and James Baillie were also on target for the hosts, with Kaiman Anderson netting a double for Stafford.

"It was coming," Clegg said.

"We gambled with the team and went very attacking – we played with two number 10s and took the game to them.

"As good as we were going forward, we looked a bit vulnerable at the back but we sorted that out and were ruthless on the break.

"Every time we got it, we looked dangerous and exciting. A very good day at the office.

"There’s been some games we’ve won and drawn where we’ve missed a lot of chances but today, they went in."

Adams' first two goals came inside the first quarter to put Blues in command, but Anderson earned Stafford a foothold before Rylands re-established their two-goal cushion just shy of half-time courtesy of Sidibeh.

The hosts then struck three times in six devastating minutes after the break to truly kill the contest off, with Adams completing his treble before Sidibeh and Touray got in on the act.

Substitute Baillie made it seven as the game moved into its final stages, rendering Anderson's second goal late on a mere consolation.

Warrington Rylands: Pilling, Smith, Swaby-Neavin, Neild, Regan, Furman (German), Adams (Hough), Hardcastle (Baillie), Pedro, Touray, Sidibeh. Subs not used: Butler, Uche