Young midfielder Ryan Croasdale stole the show as North End thrashed Southport 5-0 in the first round of the Lancashire Senior Cup.
After the game the 19-year-old spoke to PNE.Com and was delighted with the way things went, having helped guide PNE through to the quarter-finals and a tie at Wigan Athletic.
A North End side which contained a mixture of experience and youth combined well as goals from Lee Holmes, John Mousinho, Will Hayhurst, and a brace from Croasdale meant the Lilywhites breezed their way past the Sandgrounders.
“It’s a good fixture for those who aren’t playing in the first team regularly, as well as benefitting the fans with some good goals and a great result,” PNE’s No.25 told the official website.
“We struggled in the first half going forward and didn’t penetrate them on the attack enough, but I think that in the second half we were a lot more clinical and much better.”
Croasdale scored the goal of the game with a 25 yard strike into the top left-hand corner of the net to secure his second goal of the match and North End’s third. This one came from the right boot, with the first, also from out of the box coming from his left… only a header away from a pefect hat-trick!
On his eye for goal, the Lancaster-born man added: “We’ve been practicing in training and practicing before the game and obviously I just hit it and hoped for the best and it really pulled off!”
More pleasing signs for North End fans was the return of Jack King, and the midfielder was quick to praise the influence of PNE’s No.22.
“Jack’s a player with bags of experience.
“He’s ten years older than me so it’s good to have that type of experience around you and it’s great to have him back.”