A hat-trick from Ryan Cox helped AFC Liverpool gain revenge for their FA Cup exit at the hands of Squires Gate, with an away win in The FA Vase First Qualifying Round in Blackpool.

In the opening minutes, the Reds started brightly, On five minutes, debutant midfielder Sean Calland cut in from the left wing and had a shot from the edge of the box which sailed just over the bar. A few minutes later Ronnie Morgan let loose a strike from a similar distance, but it was deflected away.

Squires Gate then had more possession but weren’t able to fashion a clear chance with several ranged crosses intercepted by Ryan Jones. On fifteen minutes Carl Peers had a penalty shout waved away by the referee. Good work by Francis Barry saw the Reds’ forward cut back from the byline and send a ball across goal but no-one was able to connect.

The remainder of the half saw equal possession for both sides. On twenty-five minutes, Squires Gate nearly found a way through, but Jack Sinnott was able to get himself between the ball and the Gate forward, giving Jones time to clear on the edge of the box. The counter-attack led to a cross met by Ryan Cox who had the best chance of the half, but his shot went inches wide. On thirty-eight minutes, a free kick from Muktar Mahama led to clash of heads between Michael Girvan and the Squires Gate defender Chris Anderson. who came off worst from the challenge and required treatment.

Late in the half, Mahama was put through on goal in a wide left position but he couldn’t direct his shot on the turn, and it went over the bar. Shortly afterward, Morgan made an excellent run from midfield, beating several players, but his final shot went wide of the right post, and the teams went in at half-time with the score goalless. Chris Anderson was replaced at the break as a precaution, with Sean Holmes taking over defensive duties for the hosts.

As the match resumed, Squires Gate had their own claim for a penalty waved away during the first attack, but immediately AFC Liverpool continued with the pressure. The travelling fans did not have to wait long to see results, as the Reds opened the scoring in the forty-eighth minute. A defensive clearance was chested down by Calland, and Francis Barry used the outside of his boot to send an exquisite through-ball into the path of Morgan, who showed great composure, fending off defensive pressure and waiting for the Gate goalkeeper Ben Fletcher to commit himself before slotting the ball home.

Squires Gate did respond well, with some good runs made down the left, but Girvan fought hard to win back possession on a number of occasions. The Reds then delivered a sucker punch on fifty-three minutes. Sinnott squared a pass to Calland on the halfway line, and he sent in a weighted ball into the path of Ryan Cox, who made the lob over Fletcher into the net look easy.

The Reds were having their best period of the match, and with perhaps one eye on resting players for the league match on Wednesday, Joshua Purcell was brought on for Calland. Squires Gate weren’t giving up however, Alex McKendrick was put through on goal one-on-one with Jones, but the Reds keeper made a fantastic stop to deny him.

Soon after, on sixty-five minutes, Ryan Cox struck again. In another end-to end move, Sinnott made a driving run from his own box, laid the ball off to Morgan, who hit another excellent through-ball to Cox. The Reds striker had time to position himself to shoot with the ball going in off the post. With the three goal cushion, the Reds made more changes with Morgan and Barry being replaced with James Robinson and Elvis Banyihwabe respectively.

Squires Gate had introduced Jack Sowerby on sixty minutes and he had proved the most dangerous threat for the hosts with some driving runs from midfield. On eighty-two minutes, he was through on goal again, and this time made no mistake as he lofted the ball over the advancing Jones into left corner to bring Gate back into the match. The home side attacked with more confidence following their goal, but their persistence was aided by good fortune. Jones came to claim a cross, but the ball slipped through his grip, and Jake Forshaw was on hand to slot ball home, reducing the Reds lead to a single goal.

Paul Moores’ side to their credit did not panic, and in the eighty-ninth minute, Josh Purcell made a surging run into the penalty area and was shoved clumsily off the ball by David McCann. The referee pointed to the spot and Cox stepped up to put the result beyond doubt as he blasted the ball beyond Fletcher who went the wrong way. AFC Liverpool progress into the next round of the FA Vase where they will face Atherton Collieries.

Squires Gate 2-4 AFC Liverpool

Sowerby 82′ Morgan 48′
Forshaw 87′ Cox 53′ 65′ 89′

Squires Gate: 1.Ben Fletcher 2.Andrew Richards © 3.Chris Anderson (12.Sean Holmes 45’) 4.Jack Cook 5.Joshua Westwood 6.David McCann 7.Jake Forshaw 8.Sam Dickinson 9.Ryan Riley 10.Alex McKendrick 11.Brett Ferguson (16.Jack Sowerby 60’)

Unused Subs: 14.Billy McKenna 15.Alex Murphy

AFC Liverpool: 1.Ryan Jones 2.Michael Girvan 3.Muktar Mahama 4.Jack Sinnott © 5. James King 6.Carl Peers 7.Nathan Valentine 8.Sean Calland (15.Joshua Purcell 60’) 9.Ronnie Morgan (16.James Robinson 72’) 10. Francis Barry (17.Elvis Banyihwabe 77’)11.Ryan Cox

Unused Subs: 13.Declan Morgan 14.Ryan Dobney 18.Neville Picton