BARNTON extended a winning sequence after putting five goals without reply past Maine Road, four of them before the break.

The Villagers, on target 21 times in their past four matches, made sure they shut out their guests afterwards before substitute Ryan Wan added to their tally in added time.

“I’m actually happier with the second-half performance,” reflected manager James McShane.

“I challenged the players to maintain the high standards they had set with the wind in their faces, and they stayed solid.”

Front man Lee Guirado put Barnton ahead inside 10 minutes before Ryan Malone doubled the home team’s lead after reaching a rebound from his own initial effort.

Jordan Cobley, who lives around the corner from Townfield, then marked his first start following a transfer from Alsager Town with an emphatic finish after linking up with Luke Wilson-Jones.

The same player crossed for Guirado to head a fourth for the rampant hosts.

They might have added to their tally had goalkeeper Alex Fowell not produced a brilliant double-save to thwart Owen Dursley and then Guirado.

He denied the Barnton striker again as he searched in vain for a hat-trick before Wan added gloss following unselfish play from Guirado.

McShane added: “Maine Road worked their socks off and tried to make it hard for us.

“They’re a better side than their position in the table suggests, and I’ve no doubt they’ll pick up points from their games in hand.”

Barnton | Lyons (GK), Richards (Derek McShane), Ford, Yearsley, Dursley, Houghton, Bazley (Weeder), Malone (Wan), Cobley, Wilson-Jones, Guirado Subs not used Preston, Arnold Goals Guirado 9, 37 Malone 16, Cobley 21, Wan 90

Maine Road | Fowell (GK), Hill, Morley, German, Hendley (Mills), Smith, Dolan (Jones), Rostron, Burke (Markham), Keyworth, Pollitt Sub not used Davies Booked Pollitt

Attendance 55

Match report by Niall Owens