TRAFFORD produced a magnificent performance on Saturday to outclass Bamber Bridge with a 4-0 away win that moves them to within just three points of the Evo-Stik First Division North play-off positions.

Defences were on top in the opening stages with Brig striker Ben Wharton and Trafford’s leading scorer Aaron Burns seeing long-range shots fly over.

Burns then headed a Lee Neville cross over from 10 yards and shortly afterwards struck a low, angled drive from the left that home keeper Steven James pushed behind for a corner.

The deadlock was finally broken in the 36th minute when Burns' mazy run ended with a low cross to the near post where Mark Derbyshire arrived to tap home.

And four minutes later it was 2-0 when Liam Brownhill’s superb cross from the right was met by a glancing header by Jonah Gosling expertly guided into the bottom corner.

On the stroke of half time Trafford almost struck again when a lightning fast break down the right ended with Derbyshire teeing up Neville but the visiting left-back struck his thunderous drive wide of the target.

Trafford did not have to wait long for the third goal, however, as just three minutes into the second half Derbyshire drilled his shot against the left-hand post and then pounced on the rebound to tuck the ball home.

The giant striker was then denied what would have been his third hat-trick in three games when he broke clear and fired past James, only for the goal to be disallowed by a marginal offside decision.

Trafford were now totally dominant and Ally Brown capped a great run down the right with a fine low cross into the path of Kingsley Williams but the home defence somehow scrambled the ball clear.

The scoring was completed in the 72nd minute when man-of-the-match Derbyshire tormented the Brig left-back Chris Marlow and struck a wicked low cross that Michael Potts had the misfortune to turn past his own goalkeeper.

To their credit the home side fought to the end with Jamie Milligan curling a free kick from the edge of the penalty area that was held by Terry Smith and then substitute Kitt Gregory seeing his sweetly struck volley cleared off the line by Williams.

This was arguably Trafford’s finest performance of the season and stretched their unbeaten league run to seven games but they were denied the chance to extend it when their match at Tadcaster Albion on Tuesday was postponed due to a frozen pitch.