Chasetown FC consolidated their second place in the UniBond League Division 1 South with a straightforward 4-0 success over struggling Spalding United.
With the Tulips second from bottom in the table, a home win was the prediction, and the Scholars were on top throughout with four different players finding the target.
Chasetown dominated the first half with Gary Hay and Grant Ryan leading the attack, but after they had gone close with a chance apiece in the first ten minutes it was skipper Dave Egan who put the Scholars ahead on 15 minutes when a Mark Branch cross left him with a free header at the far post.
Ten minutes later their lead was doubled as Ryan latched onto a rebound after Ramone Stephens’ left-footed drive was blocked, and the Mansfield loanee swivelled a right-footed shot past keeper Joe Schulberg.
Hay should have done better on 24 minutes when his free header from Branch’s cross went wide, and Spalding’s first chance did not come until ten minutes later via a header from Simon Mowbray, but home keeper Ryan Price was able to collect.
On 36 minutes Billy Oliver was booked for bringing down Stephens and the resultant free kick saw Gavin Saunders blast home brilliantly from 30 yards with Schulberg helpless as the Scholars’ lead tripled and the action continued to be dominated by the hosts.
Spalding had rallied their side during the break and had the first chance of the second period courtesy of George Cox who drove over the bar, but on 51 minutes Hay struck back for the Scholars as he picked up a loose ball in the centre, looked up and fired a rasping shot to Schulberg’s right for a superb fourth goal for the hosts.
Stephens was continuing to impress elsewhere as the Scholars upped their dominance further, and Chasetown could have netted a fifth on the hour mark but Ben Jevons hit the post before Egan smashed the ball wide.
Schulberg had to be alert on three further occasions later in the game, firstly when he pushed away Jevons’ 25-yard shot on 70 minutes before an exchange of passes between Saunders and substitute Dean Perrow saw the his final shot parried away.
The Tulips keeper then pushed away Ryan’s cross as Perrow waited to pounce, and Chasetown closed the game down for the remaining minutes en route to victory.
Chasetown take on Mickleover Sports on Tuesday evening (April 13) in a 7.45pm kick-off when a win for the visitors will seal the league title, and the Scholars travel to Goole AFC next Saturday (3pm kick-off).
Chasetown: Price, Farmer, M Branch, Slater, Horton, Saunders, Stephens, Egan (c), Hay, Ryan, Jevons. Subs: D Smith, Anslow (M Branch 56), Perrow (Hay 65), Steane, Horler (Egan 59).
Spalding: Schulberg, Cox, Wetton, Chagger, Balkwill, Scott, Mowbray, Toyne (c), Webb, De Oliviera, Oliver. Subs: Forbes (Mowbray 64), Emery (Oliver 45), Evans, Field (Webb 75), P Smith.