Trafford cruised to a comfortable and convincing 3-0 victory against Market Drayton Town to consolidate their fifth place position in the Northern Premier League Division One West table.

In reality, the game was a little disappointing for another bumper crowd of more than 400 as home keeper Matty Cooper was not called on to make a save of any note throughout the match.

And after Trafford centre-back Adam Rooney headed his team in front following an Alfie Belcher corner in the 16th minute there was to be only one outcome.

Max Hazeldine blazed his shot over following a neat five-man move and Belcher should have made it two on the half hour but was denied by a brave block by Town keeper Ashley Rawlins.

Trafford skipper Astley Mulholland and Ross Davidson were in complete control of the midfield and as half time approached, Hazeldine squandered two further opportunities to increase his side’s lead.

Two minutes after the interval Connor Hughes rifled a great drive from 30 yards inches past the right-hand upright and in the 55th minute the visitors wasted their first scoring opportunity when Jakob Burroughs drove his 20-yard free-kick well wide.

In the 59th minute Trafford were finally rewarded for their superiority with a second goal, Matty Barlow and substitute Mike Burke combining superbly on the right allowing Belcher to nudge the ball home from just four yards.

Rawlins then produced a fine save to push a Belcher piledriver behind, and then thwarted Curtis Miller with a goal-line block from just two yards.

The inevitable third goal finally arrived in the 71st minute when Barlow released Burke down the middle and he coolly clipped the ball past the advancing Rawlins to nestle in the bottom corner.

Trafford poured forward in search of further goals but a combination of careless finishing and brilliant goalkeeping by Rawlins, with one spectacular save denying Belcher, meant that the score remained the same when the final whistle sounded.