1874 Northwich continued their unbeaten run of games with a comfortable win at Stockport Sports.

They have now gone 20 matches unbeaten with a last defeat coming at the hands of Prescot Cables in an FA Cup replay at the beginning of September.

The visitors did not have to wait long for an opener either.

Matty Ward jinked past two would-be tacklers on 11 minutes after picking up a loose ball on the right flank before unleashing a screaming shot into the bottom corner.

Ward then combined with Neil Chappell to send Jamie Tandy clear on the left, but his deep cross evaded all of 1874’s players in the box.

It was not long before the comfort of a second goal arrived, this time as a result of a defensive error.

Stuart Wellstead reacted quickly to beat the hosts’ goalkeeper from 10 yards.

It was nearly 3-0 straight from the kick off when the ball rebounded to the alert Matthew Beadle, who had the foresight to volley the ball goalwards from just inside Stockport’s half.

A third goal did arrive when Danny Thomas headed in Wellstead’s free kick.

Stockport had their best chance of the game when Dimitri Tuanzebe was sent clear, but alert 1874 custodian Matthew Conkie saved his low effort.

Ian Street’s men made safe the points after half an hour when a long ball from defence reached Beadle, who slotted his 20th goal of the campaign.

A fifth goal followed on 79 minutes when an attempted clearance from a corner cannoned into the net off Chappell’s chest.

1874 Conkie (GK), Mitchell, Bayley (Connor), Thomas, Duckworth, Woolley, Chappell, Ward, Tandy, Beadle (Short), Wellstead (Woods) Subs not used Brandon, Jones

Report by Garry Clarke