Hucknall Town strengthened their grip on fifth place in the United Counties League Division One table on Saturday afternoon by beating Birstall United 5-0.

After dominating possession and seeing most of the first half’s chances fall their way, Town’s top scorer Craig Westcarr notched his 41st goal of the campaign just before the break to put the hosts into the ascendancy.

Jamie Crawford - who was recently restored to the team following a short spell at Arnold Town - netted his first and second goals of the season in the second half, before substitutes Joe Butler and Matt Brian added the gloss to a very strong performance.

Yellows boss Andy Graves made two changes to the side that were edged out 5-4 against Hinckley last time out, with Sam Sims and Aaron Short returning to the starting XI in place of Butler and Jordan Phillips.

The game took some time to open up, with both teams jostling to keep control of the ball, but the first opportunity presented itself to Grant Ryan, whose stiff volley on the turn was down the throat of Birstall goalkeeper Charlie Doherty.

Two minutes later, Joe Ashurst fizzed a gorgeous ball across the face of goal, but Westcarr could not sort his feet out to tap home from close range.

With twenty minutes played, it was Ashurst causing problems for the Birstall defence once again, as he rolled away from his marker and forced Doherty into another good save.

Quick-fire set-piece chances were next up with five minutes of the half left, as Short rose highest from a corner to just nod wide, a few minutes before Sims tested the keeper with a powerful free-kick from 25 yards.

The lead was finally Hucknall’s with just three minutes to go in the half, as centre-back Lenford Jenkins clipped a gorgeous ball into the right channel, which Westcarr brought down before smashing into the far corner with his second touch.

It should have been two-nil with seconds left of the half, as Ryan found himself free at the back post to head home, but opted to attempt a volley that he did not connect cleanly with.

Seven minutes of the second half was all it took for Town to get the second, however. Sims drove powerfully down the left flank and unselfishly squared to Ryan, whose mis-connected finish squeezed over to Crawford, who stabbed home at the back post.

Westcarr then left the crossbar shaking just after the hour mark, as his cross from the right smashed back down off the top-left corner of the upright.

Crawford showed great composure in getting his second goal, as after Westcarr had forced a save from Doherty, substitute Cayne Maxwell kept it alive and squared it to the midfielder, who rolled away from the keeper and slotted into an unguarded net.

The opportunities kept arriving for Hucknall, with Westcarr bending an effort barely over the bar from range, and Ashurst forcing Doherty into another fine stop with five minutes to go.

Brian and Butler both added the shine to a very convincing victory right at the death, with the former stabbing home from close range as the ball screwed over from the right, before the latter laced in an emphatic half-volley with the last kick of the game.

Hucknall: Sharpe, Bartley, Brown, Sims, Short (c), Jenkins, Crawford (Butler 73'), Banister (Maxwell 65’), Westcarr, Ryan (Brian 58’), Ashurst. Subs not used: Lamb

By Louis Wheeldon