Pucklechurch Sports condemned Ashton Boys to their eighth successive Avon Youth League game without a win.

Despite the emphatic nature of the scoreline, the game was well fought. Ashton failed to take their chances whereas their opponents capitalised on almost every opportunity they created, with Lawrence Howliston and Jonny Frost both scoring twice.

Pucklechurch started brightly and nearly went ahead when Howliston swung a corner into the box and over the keeper's head. The ball was heading for the top corner of net but Gavin O'Connell saved the day for Ashton by heading off the line.

Ashton had a great chance to take the lead when Jack O'Toole nodded the ball over the Pucklechurch defence to Harry Donachie on the left side of the box, but the angle was always against him and Donachie flashed his shot across the keeper and narrowly wide.

Three minutes later, the energetic Max Bleakman crossed for Connor Gale to head for goal, but an Ashton defender had read the danger and got back to clear off the line, while the follow-up shot was hit straight at the keeper.

At the other end, O'Toole won the ball in midfield before flicking it over the Pucklechurch back line for Donachie to pounce, but his attempt to lob the keeper sailed high over the crossbar.

Pucklechurch finally broke the deadlock 10 minutes before the break. Howliston delivered another great corner to the far post, where Bleakman rose above everybody to powerfully head home via the inside of a post .

The visitors started the second half strongly, creating two chances in quick succession. Firstly, Bleakman finished a strong run with a shot straight at the keeper. Then, Bleakman demonstrated some super skill to beating his marker before producing a pinpoint cross to Frost, whose glancing header was well saved by keeper Ross Ashley.

Five minutes later, Pucklechurch doubled their lead on the counter-attack. Howliston launched the ball over the home defence where Frost, showing good anticipation, got to it just ahead of Ashley before taking it around the stranded keeper and rolling his shot into the empty net.

Ashton's Jack Matthews responded by hitting a 40-yard piledriver towards goal, forcing keeper George Ellis to backpedal and steer the ball over the top with his fingertips.

The action continued to swing from end to end and Pucklechurch had a chance to extend their lead when Will Henderson played in the marauding Howliston, who hit his shot early but straight at the keeper.

Donachie skewed an effort wide for Ashton, who suffered a further setback seconds later when the visitors made it 3-0.

Henderson burst down the right and slid the ball across the face of goal, where Gale showed real determination to poke it home.

To their credit, Ashton continued to battle hard and they strung together a couple of attacks, which fizzled out before they could trouble the excellent Ellis.

The hosts' best player James Boon won the ball well in midfield and sent Donachie racing clear but Ellis dashed off his line to smother.

It was another chance that had gone begging and Ashton were made to pay as Gale won the ball in midfield and lifted a delightful ball in behind the defence for Frost to control before neatly lifting his shot into the net.

Three minutes later, Howliston put the final nail in the Ashton coffin with a stunning free-kick from the left to complete an impressive 5-0 scoreline.

Ellis was called into action once more before the full-time whistle, making a brave save as he backpedalled to steer away another long-range Ashton effort .

STAR MAN: Max Bleakman (Pucklechurch): Was very influential on the right side of midfield and buried a very good header to put his team in front.

Ashton Boys: Ross Ashley, Callum Dicker, Will Payne, Ashley Blackman, Chris Stone, Jack O'Toole, Jack Matthews, Gavin O'Connell, Jacob Headington, Harry Donachie, James Boon, Theo Gardner.

Pucklechurch: George Ellis, Luke Newport, Dan Rose, Joe Lovell, Joe Managh, Max Bleakman, Lawrence Howliston, Connor Gale, Adam Coltman, Jonny Frost, Will Henderson, Louie Wood.