St Helens Town 5

"YOU'VE got a 'canny' side there alright," was the north east reaction to seeing Town demolish their side in the second qualifying round of the Carlsberg FA Vase up in Sunderland on Saturday.

The St Helens management are slowly putting together a squad which is earning respect everywhere it goes and with more quality still to come, Joe Paladino can reflect upon a difficult time which is now coming good.

Such was Town's superiority at Ryhope on Saturday that by the end they were able to create a piece of club history when Joe Gibiliru (senior) came off the bench to join his son Joe (junior) to become the first father and son to play in the same match for St Helens Town.

The game began on a bright and breezy afternoon with Ryhope having the first shot at goal when Hill's persistence saw his 18-yarder pass wide but as Town settled, a Gibiliru volley and a Robinson chip weren't too far away.

With Cunningham and Gibiliru looking eager for work St Helens rained in crosses but home keeper Shields was assured in his handling and by the 20th minute his side almost stole the lead when from a driven free kick, Gamble's snap header was beaten out by Paul Dahl.

Generally though, the action occurred around the Ryhope goal where Milson's corner kicks were causing problems but efforts from Flood and McMullin were just too high.

On 35 minutes a great block by home skipper Davidson denied Gibiliru at the far post but just as Ryhope were creeping towards the interval with their goal intact, Town struck twice in three minutes.

On 39 minutes a superb pass by Milson sent the stylish Carl Robinson clear for a debut goal and when Cunningham went on a mazy run leaving defenders in his wake in the 41st minute, Milson himself was on hand to convert the scraps following the keepers block.

Ryhope did have a chance to get back in the game on the stroke of half time when Town were lax at dealing with a corner kick enabling Taylor to send a stooping header just wide.

Offside

Town resumed up the pronounced slope and had a goal disallowed for a marginal 'off side' within two minute but it was only a minor irritation as by the hour they killed off the home spirit completely when Craig Cunningham worked like a Trojan to earn a corner, and it was fitting he should head home the 'flag kick'.

Apart from the odd Ryhope raid Town were coming forward in waves and spreading play superbly with crisp accurate passing supplemented by tireless running off the ball and in the 71st minute a neat McMullin-Pomford link resulted in Joe Gibiliru rifling home a spectacular fourth goal.

It was 'showtime' now with Robinson twice being denied by keeper Shields legs and Joe Paladino switched things around to give his subs a run and Ryhope had a couple of chances but Dahl remained professional as ever in the St Helens goal.

He then made way for his understudy Paul Forrester to make his FA Vase debut and he preserved Town's fourth clean sheet in five games as Craig Cunningham capped his top class display by hitting his side's fifth goal with another spectacular 25-yarder into the top corner.

It's back to NWCL business before Town are back in Vase action again on October 23 and on Saturday they travel to Congleton Town (3pm) before entertaining Atherton LR at Knowsley Road on Tuesday, October 5 (7.45pm).