WINSFORD United maintained their determined push for the play-offs when they hit Highgate United for six at Barton Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Blues ran riot in the first half against Midland League Premier Division strugglers, banging in five goals.
Perhaps the biggest surprise was that they only managed one more after the break, while the visitors netted a consolation in the 90th minute in a 6-1 outcome.
It could have been worse but Kal Boyle’s penalty was saved in the ninth minute after Elliott Coleman had been brought down in the box.
Blake Robinson had put Blues ahead two minutes earlier and further scores came from skipper Ste Jenyons (22mins), Niza Chilufya (27mins), Boyle (32mins), Ollie Pope (37mins) and Colean (65mins).
As things stood on Saturday night, Winsford sat 10th only four points outside the play-offs but with three to four games in hand on all the sides currently sat in the top five.
Winsford host Stourport Swifts on Tuesday, a fixture that has been reversed in terms of venue, head to ninth-placed Coton Green next Saturday and then host tabletoppers Northwich Victoria the following Tuesday.
One of the sides above Winsford who they have in their sights are 1874 Northwich, who were beaten 2-0 at fellow play-offs hopefuls Lye Town on Saturday.
They were behind from the eighth minute and the points were sealed from a counter attack in the 77th minute as 1874 sought an equaliser.
Chris Herbert’s side slipped to fourth as a result, with only two points grace on the chasing pack outside the play-offs places, and have now only won one of their last five matches.
Like Winsford, they face crunch matches ahead, away on Saturday to Dudley Town who are sixth and then visit Brocton, who are seventh, the following Tuesday.
Unfortunately they will be without young wingback Max Harrison for the rest of the season.
Harrison, who joined 1874 from Vauxhall Motors in January, suffered a fractured ankle in last Tuesday’s win against Uttoxeter Town.
Northwich Victoria’s lead at the top of the table was cut to one point on Saturday when nearest rivals for the title Hanley Town beat Tividale 2-1.
Vics were not in action and both sides have now played the same number of games, so the destiny of the champions’ silverware remains in the hands of The Trickies, who visit Whitchurch Alport on Tuesday, before hosting a top-of-the-table battle with Hanley Town next Saturday and then visiting Winsford the following Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Witton Albion made it three wins in a row with a 1-0 home success against lowly Wythenshawe Town in Northern Premier League West.
They made hard work of it but second-half substitute Joe Duckworth struck the winner a minute into added time.
That allowed Witton to climb two places to 11th ahead of next Saturday’s trip to Clitheroe.
“We weren’t at our best,” said Witton manager Ben Harrison.
“We didn’t play as much football as I would have liked and as much as we’ve played recently but I thought we defended incredibly well.
“We limited them to a few chances and although we didn’t create loads, I felt in the last 25 minutes we looked the most likely to win it.
“We haven’t done that enough this season, as in win when we haven’t been at our best and so it is a great victory to get it in injury time when you’ve struggled at certain spells in the game.
“It makes it probably even sweeter.
“It’s a results business and that’s what we needed. It wasn’t pretty and not a performance we’ll probably remember.”
