Runcorn Town sent out a message to the other leading clubs in the West Cheshire League as they hammered Vauxhall Motors Reserves 6-0 at Rivacre Park, with Jason Carey grabbing four in a game for the second time this season.

Town made one change from the team that played out a goalless draw at Poulton Vics last week with Simon Burton returning for his first start since November in place of Aarron Brown. And what a difference Burton made, as he put the visitors ahead after just three minutes.

A cross from the left to the edge of the box was too long for the goalkeeper with Joe Davies heading the ball back and into the path of Burton. He controlled the ball and chipped the ball into the net from 20-yards, with a defender on the line helpless to stop the shot.

Town continued to pressure with Carey having a good opportunity from an acute angle that he tried to square when he perhaps should have passed, with two Danny Dalton crosses to the far post just beyond the head of Davies and Burton. Vauxhall looked dangerous on the counter attack with Karl Wills forced into saving at Thomas Carroll’s feet after the forward tricked his way through on the right.

The second goal arrived in fortuitous fashion after 24 minutes. Full back Mark Toohey advanced down the left and with options limited, tried a shot from fully 30-yards. It looked an easy stop for the keeper, but he palmed the ball up attempting to tip it over the bar, with the ball dropping into the far corner of the goal for Town’s second.

The rest of the half saw Town keep possession comfortably despite not creating goalscoring opportunities. Carroll looked the likely source if Vauxhall were to get a goal back, but the excellent Greg Byrne at the back was equal to everything that he did.

Vauxhall had to the first goal of the second half if they were to get back into the game, but it was Town who went further in front after just 57 seconds of the half. Simon Burton held the ball up on the halfway line before laying it off to Ste Latham who ran at the defence. He then played it past the last man into the path of Jason Carey, who slotted in to the bottom left hand corner.

Carey’s second goal came on 61 minutes, and it was again provided by Latham. His ball from inside the centre circle cleared the last man with Carey running onto it before putting the ball in the net for his 20th goal of the season. This scenario was repeated exactly eight minutes later for Carey’s hat-trick, with Latham’s perfect ball giving Carey the simple finish.

Vauxhall’s continued to look dangerous up until the final third, with the home side unable to create clear goalscoring opportunities to test Wills in goal. Town’s sixth goal with ten minutes remaining was the catalyst for an incident that spoiled the game. Carey received a throw in from the right and turned, leaving his with just the last defender to beat. He knocked it past him before beating the keeper, again finding the bottom left corner for his 22nd of the season.

The keeper presumably then said something to the referee which earned him a straight red card. Trying to defend their teammate, a further two Vauxhall players were dismissed from the field, leaving them to play the remaining nine minutes with a midfielder in goal and with just eight men.

As would be expected with a three man advantage, Town had a couple of opportunities in the last nine minutes. Burton had a goal disallowed for offside which looked very close, and substitute Aarron Brown saw a shot blocked from Carey’s pass. Carey was also denied a fifth goal by the stand in goalkeeper, who saved excellently from Carey’s close range shot to concede a corner.

The result gives Town a six point cushion at the top of the league over Upton Athletic Association, who are up to second after their 2-1 win over Blacon Youth Club. West Kirby have slipped to third, eight points behind Town, but have four games in hand after not being able to play a league game since the end of November.