Ant Danylyk made two changes to the side that drew with Bedworth with Chris Budrys returning and Dan Shelley taking a place on the bench whilst Ben Chapman was preferred to Chris Martin in goal.

Chapman was into the action early with a couple of good saves in the opening minutes.

Budrys had Town's first chance in the 10th minute when he met a cross with a first time shot that went just wide.

Darren Chadwick looped a header from a corner just over in the 23rd minute before the hosts went ahead on the half hour mark when Gary Barnett's low shot across goal found the far corner.

Shaw Lane were awarded a penalty three minutes later when James Curley was punished for a foul that looked as though it might have occurred outside the box.

Gavin Allott stepped up and although Chapman dived the right way he was not needed as the ball clipped the outside of the post.

Tim Grice forced the first save out of Jon Stewart when he beat away his shot just before the break.

The home side were incensed early in the second half when they thought one of their players had been stamped on by Curley, but after much deliberation the referee chose to show the Blues defender only a yellow card.

In the 56th minute Chapman pulled off a great save with his outstretched leg to divert a goalbound effort around the post.

Blues almost levelled just after the hour when a Stewart punched a corner against his own defender and the ball rebounded against the crossbar.

Danylyk brought on Stevenson and Shelley and it almost brought about a goal instantly with Stevenson's shot being blocked by Stewart.

From this the Ducks broke away downfield and Jonathan Wafula slotted the ball wide of Chapman to make it 2-0.

Two minutes later Allott scored from close range to make it 3-0 and Blues conceded a horrendous fourth when Curley gave the ball away in his own half to allow Kieran Lugsden to score.

Joel Purkiss then wrapped up the scoring with two stunning strikes. The first came on 84 minutes when he volleyed home from the edge of the box, the second came deep in added time when he curled in a 30 yard free-kick.

This was a strange game given that Blues were very much competitive in it for 70 minutes before capitulating in the final 20. As for Shaw Lane, they look well set to pick up the title trophy next April.

Team: Martin, Smith, Morris, Danylyk, Curley, Chadwick, France (Grimshaw 84), Maguire (Shelley, 70), Grice, Budrys, Johnson (Stevenson, 70)

Unused subs: Faulkner, Bridge,

Yellow cards: Maguire, Curley, Chadwick, Shelley. Budrys

Attendance: 156