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Stockton Town moved back to 3rd in the EBAC Northern League Division 2 Table with a 6-0 victory over bottom club Esh Winning. Stockton went into the game with Adam Nicholson replacing Tom Coulthard in the centre of defence and leading scorer Kallum Hannah returning to lead the attack.
It took Stockton only 7 minutes to break the deadlock, great build up play down the right allowed Joe Scaife Wheatley to deliver a cross to the far post where Fred Woodhouse controlled the ball before firing past Mark Hodgson in the Esh Winning goal.
Stockton were on top and scored a second goal after 14 minutes, again down the right Esh had no answer to Stockton’s swift and incisive passing and great play between Kallum Hannah and Fred Woodhouse saw top goalscorer Kallum Hannah fire past Hodgson from close range.
As the half wore on Esh carried a threat and on a couple of occasions Arthur in Stocktons goal had to be alert to clear danger but Stocktons lead was not under threat and they went into the half time break with a comfortable 2 0 lead.
Esh Winning had a chance to score at the start of the second half and it fell to McCardle but the winner was the Stockton goalkeeper Arthur to make his second fine save from the Esh striker.
This was to be closest that Esh were to get as Stockton upped their game, and accelerated further ahead. After 62 minutes a Scaife Wheatley corner was headed towards goal by Chris Dunwell , Hodgson tipped the ball onto the bar and there was Adam Nicholson following up to force the rebound over the line from close range.
Next it was James Ward who was unlucky not to score with a fierce shot that beat Hodgson but the ball struck the post and bounced clear.
After 76 minutes Stockton went 4-0 up when Joe Carter fired in a Sonni Coleman corner. The ball hit a defender wrong footing the Esh keeper Hodgson.
At this stage it was just how many Stockton were going to score, the goal of the game came after 81 minutes Matthew Garbutt beat several defenders before curling the ball over Hodgson and into the far corner of the net..
Substitute Joe Posthill looking for his first senior goal then saw his shot hit the post with Hodgson well beaten and rebound to safety.
Stockton rounded off a fine performance with a 6th goal after 90 minutes, having won a free kick on the edge of the box, the Esh defence took far to much time to organise their wall, James Ward placed the ball down and fired into the opposite side from where Hodgson was stood and despite the Esh Winning teams protests the referee correctly awarded the goal.
Next Saturday see’s another home fixture with Tow Law visiting Stockton Town for the first time.