Cleethorpes Town

Luke Mascall scored four as Cleethorpes Town romped to a 9-1 victory over Horncastle Town at the Stamford Club, in a match sponsored by Linden Homes and BJB Lift Trucks.

Renzie Lobendhan, Brody Robertson and Richard Peck also got on the scoresheet for the Owls while Callum Day got a late brace to sew up a convincing win.

Andy Liddle was keen to see a reaction the Owls’ disappointing 1-1 draw at Lincoln United Reserves in midweek, and made three changes to the team that started that game – Peck, Matthew Coleman and Luke Neul all earning a recall.

It was clear from kick-off that Cleethorpes were determined to bounce back with a win, Brody Robertson seeing an acrobatic effort cleared off the line after just two minutes.

The deadlock was broken after six minutes when sustained Owls pressure led to Luke Mascall volleying in from inside the six-yard box after a pinpoint cross from the in-form Lewis Wilson.

Five minutes later that advantage was doubled. This time Michael Steer, who made his comeback from injury against the Whites on Wednesday, was the provider, dropping a free-kick in the most dangerous of areas where Mascall could nod home.

Horncastle, who had brought with them a decent following, were seeing a fair amount of the ball but seemed to lack the quality in the final third – a pull-back from Matthew Low after a Tommi Wright slip evaded his team mates.

Wright was in the thick of the action again after 39 minutes. He was slipped in by Neul down the right before curling the ball back across goal to the advancing Lobendhan. The midfielder showed great technique to strike the ball first time on the volley but it ricocheted off the post and away.

Two goals just before half-time effectively secured the points for the Owls. First, Mascall completed his hat-trick with a simple tap-in, despite suspicions of offside, before Lobendhan poked home from inside the area to add a fourth.

Scott Drury’s uncharacteristic howler on the stroke of half-time, which allowed William Carter to tap in to an empty net, was of little consolation to an overwhelmed Horncastle.

There was no easing up from the home side in the second half. Within five minutes of the restart, Mascall showed his class to bend an exquisite fifth.

From the left hand side of the penalty area, he made half a yard of room for himself before curling a left-footed effort into the top right hand corner of the goal to collect his eighth of the season.

Five became six a couple of minutes later with Brodie Robertson tapping into an empty net after good wing work from Wilson.

With 35 minutes still to play, Cleethorpes found themselves 7-1 up. From a corner, Richard Peck was left unmarked in the Horncastle area and he powerfully headed into the back of the net.

Manager Liddle had the luxury of introducing the predatory pairing of Callum Day and Luke Todd after an hour, with Mascall and Robertson earning a rest.

The match was subdued from that point onwards though, with a Todd placed effort from the edge of the area after 67 minutes the closest he came to scoring.

His strike partner though finished the game with two goals – his first ones for Cleethorpes. He took advantage of some suspect goalkeeping from Lewis Bucknall for his first, before he stepped up to convert a penalty after being brought down by Bucknall in the closing stages.

Andy Liddle’s men will be hoping the goals will continue to flow when Lincoln Moorlands Railway Reserves visit the Stamford Club next weekend.