AFC Liverpool recorded their biggest ever win as they thumped Eccleshall 7-0 in a one sided affair at Pershall Park.

The Reds got off to the perfect start as from the kick off they forced the home side to concede a corner and from that, Peter Shore’s attempted clearance was denied by the intervention of Stephen McCluskie. The ball fell to Aaron Stafford and his snap shot from the edge of the area was only parried by David Watson allowing Callum Tai-Hogan an easy finish from six yards.

AFC Liverpool’s early elation was soon checked by the loss of Aaron Stafford through injury and he was replaced by Shaun Chart. The substitute was soon in the action as his flick on played Karl Gornell through but the Reds’ wingers’ attempted chip was too strong and the ball sailed over the bar.

Having been denied a penalty a little earlier, Gornell doubled the Reds lead on twenty three minutes when he converted from the spot after Chart was upended.

The Reds were firmly in control of the match when a quickly taken free kick by Phil Stafford found Gornell in space down the left and he fired from the edge of the area across the goal into the opposite corner.

The visitors twice came close to claiming a fourth first half goal as first McCluskie’s header from a Steve Corris corner was cleared off the line. Then the merest of deflections diverted the path of the ball from Gornell’s cross, meaning Joseph Gibbons couldn’t control the his header from six yards.

Any thoughts of a spectacular second half comeback were dashed on fifty five minutes.  Watson attempted to catch Gibbons’ speculative shot from twenty five yards but the ball spilled out of his hands and instead landed in the back of the net.

On sixty seven minutes, Eccleshall were once again made to pay for their inability to properly defend a corner. Corris’ delivery was only partially cleared towards the left touchline, where Gornell picked it up and from the byeline delivered a cross which was turned into his own net by Shore while under pressure from Phil Stafford.

Just as the away fans were turning their thoughts to the record books, Eccleshall were offered the chance of a consolation goal when McCluskie was judged to have upended Mark Wall. However, Jack Baker was to keep his fourth clean sheet in a row as Wall placed his penalty too close to the keeper, allowing him to make the save.

Five became six on seventy four minutes when Gornell breezed his way down the left touchline and crossed into the area where Scott McNair was unmarked to volley home.

Shortly after Corris had gone close from a direct free kick, McNair made completed the rout in the last minute. Gornell’s centre found Chart on the edge of the area and he had the time and presence of mind to lay off it to McNair who side footed it past Watson to seal an emphatic win.

Eccleshall 0-7 AFC Liverpool
Tai-Hogan 1’
Gornell 23’(p), 40’
Gibbons 55’
Shore (o.g.) 67’
McNair 74’, 89’
Attendance: 76

AFC Liverpool: 1.Jack Baker 2.Callum Tai-Hogan (12.Paddy O’Driscoll 69’) 3.Darren Torpey 4.River Humphreys 5.Stephen McCluskie 6.Phil Stafford (C) 7.Karl Gornell 8.Joe Gibbons (15.Scott McNair 69’) 9.Jack Sinnott 10.Steve Corris 11.Aarron Stafford (14.Shaun Chart 5’)

Eccleshall: 1.David Watson 2.Liam Kerrigan 3.Aaron Gough (12.Rob Adlington 45’) 4.Mark Thorley 5.Richard Leech 6.Jack Warren 7.Peter Shore 8.Karl Williams (C) 9.Dwayne Spence 10.Mark Wall 11.Shaun Gough (14.Mark Bradbury 45’)
Unused Subs: 15.Jamie Frost 16.Alex Hutchinson