Doubles from Oli Maltby and Tyler Wright saw Pinchbeck United warm up for the Christmas period by cruising past Kirby Muxloe at a freezing Sir Halley Stewart.
The Knights were always a class above the lowly but spirited visitors and took full advantage of having the gusting wind at their backs in the first half.
Kirby had already been called into some last ditch defending before Pinchbeck raced into an eight minute lead. Lee Beeson was a bright spark through for the Knights and it was he who found space on the right before firing the ball low across goal where Maltby was on hand for a simple finish.
Maltby went close again shortly after when his turn and shot from the edge of the area went just past the left hand post.
Kirby though initially responded well to that and carved out two chances of their own. Knights keeper Ricky Lovelace had to tip an Adam Parry effort round the post and from the resulting corner Mark Tinsley put his header back across goal and just the wrong side of the post.
That was as good as it got for the visitors though and a fine team goal in the 18th minute put Pinchbeck 2-0 up. After winning the ball in midfield some nice passing down the right ended with Tony Edwards crossing to the far side of the box where Wright volleyed a low show that the Kirby keeper was unable to keep out.
More chances came the Kinghts’ was as Andrew Tidswell went close with a drilled effort from the edge of the area following a corner and a completely mis-hit shot by Beeson fortuitously fell to Ryan Oliver just six yards out but he could only put it the wrong side of the near post.
Lovelace had little to do for long periods of the game but he did make a good save when Kirby’s Andre Williams went clean through. The keeper was out quickly to block the shot that was cleared to safety.
Just before half time it was 3-0, again thanks to a Wright volley. Stacy Cartwright’s shot from the edge of the area was blocked and it fell right to the left winger who again showed good technique to keep the volley down and put on enough power to beat the keeper.
Pinchbeck may have been thankful for that cushion playing against a stronger wind now accompanied by driving rain throughout a second half, much of it was an understandably scrappy, non-event.
It could have been interesting when within seconds of the re-start Kirby’s Williams seemingly had a tap in to make it 3-1 but under pressure from Lovelace he could only mis-kick the ball.
However, having brought no outfield substitutes with them from Leicestershire, that was the last they really tested the home defence.
It was 4-0 midway through the half. Beeseon was again at the heart of it, winning the ball in the Kirby half before advancing down the right and squaring to Oliver who somehow hit the bar. After a scramble under the crossbar, Maltby bundled home his second of the game.
More chances came and went for Pinchbeck, with the luckless Oliver having efforts cleared off the line and blocked when he looked set to make it five.
But the job had already been done by that point, and some of the quickest sprinting in the game came on the full time whistle when both sides instantly turned and ran for the dressing room to get out of the horrendous conditions.
