Northern Plant Hire Trophy: Broomhill 5 Cononley 1

BROOMHILL advanced to the next round with a comfortable home victory against lower league Cononley following a hat-trick from man of the match Jamie Greenwood and goals from Andy Tanner and Dale Duff.

Despite not playing for a month, the hosts soon took the lead. Tanner picked up the ball on the halfway line and easily spun his marker to find himself through on goal.

The Badgers striker was too fast for his marker and was brought down in the box before slotting home the penalty.

The pressure continued, with Jack Richmond and Greenwood dominating midfield while the width was provided by the impressive debutant Shoaib Ajaib and Liam Baker.

Baker should have doubled the lead on a couple of occasions but was unable to convert chances after flowing play.

Broomhill increased their lead soon after half-time. Great play down the right by Ajaib, Michael Turner and Tanner ended with a square ball for Greenwood to drive in from 12 yards.

With Turner and Tanner maintaining pressure, the visitors' defence were unable to settle. This disarray was the catalyst for the third goal. Richmond played a superb through-ball for Tanner. Both strikers were offside but the tireless Greenwood wasn't and he pounced to go past a static defence and slot home into the bottom corner.

Cononley pulled a goal back despite centre back Aaron Whitaker's best efforts to clear but more great work down the left by Tanner saw him again fouled for another penalty. The striker unselfishly let Greenwood step up and convert for a deserved hat-trick.

Youngster Simon Harris was introduced for his first-team debut and picked passes with ease – playing with the confidence of a 40-year-old veteran.

He found Richmond, whose 20-yard shot was parried into the path of Duff, who poked the ball over the line.

This was arguably the hosts' best performance of the season heading into their clash against table-toppers Cowling.