STONECLOUGH took centre stage in the West Lancashire Football League as the only local team to get their game on as snow and ice decimated the weekend's fixture programme.

The Brook Street outfit moved up to 10th place in Division Two after producing a five-star display to beat mid-table Croston Sports 5-2 at home as they continued their impressive form in 2015 with their second straight win.

Manager Liam Ralph was full of praise for his young charges and after moving up in the table he does not expect them to stop there.

He said: "It was a very good display despite our current place in the league.

"The conditions were not the best but I am delighted with the hardworking performance.

"Our strikers Jimmy Freebourne and Joe McCann are a new partnership and they have quickly built up great confidence in each other."

McCann helped himself to a first-half hat-trick before Freebourne got on target with 15 minutes left.

McCann bagged his fourth goal but tired legs told on the young Stoneclough side and Croston had the final say with two late goals.

Boss Ralph believed it was a solid team performance that laid the foundations for the victory.

He said: "Our full-backs Billy Mortimer and Nathan Coffey impressed.

"Billy is only 17 and did a good job but every member of the team played well.

"Since the turn of the year we have won two in two matches and we want to kick on from here.

"Our performances have not been too bad but we have not had the rub of the green with injuries and the results have put us near the bottom.

"We want to climb the table with this young side."

Next up, Stoneclough travel to Kendal County, weather-permitting, and Ralph believes his team can carry on their good form.

He said: "It is going to be another test against another side higher up the league but if we can adapt then there is no reason why we can't get a result.

"If the players continue to put in the hard work that they do in training then I think we will get results against the bigger teams."