GORNAL moved up to fourth place in the league with six games in hand after a comfortable win over local rivals Lye Town.

Once again, Gornal manager Ian Rowe chose to shuffle his pack, bringing Matt Weyman, Matt Martin and Robin Keates into the starting line-up with Mike Perks and Danny Ashton dropping to the bench.

It didn’t take long for Gornal to break the deadlock as a superb Lee Wherton free kick from the right wing found Matt Martin, who managed to sneak half a yard on his marker and flick his header in off the far post.

Taking the lead settled Gornal and it was the home side that dominated the first half.

On 16 minutes Jake Morgan was put clear and he rounded the keeper only to be caught up by Lye’s Andrew Owen and denied a goal.

Seven minutes later Tim Nicholls sidefooted wide for Lye from the edge of the area after excellent work down the right wing by Chris Poyntz.

But Gornal doubled their lead on 34 minutes when Lee Wherton started a great passing move by setting free Kristian Green, whose ball to Marvin Nisbett saw the pacy forward jink into the box and find Wherton at the far post to nod home for his first league goal of the season.

And the game was almost put beyond reach just 60 seconds later when Nisbett and Martin linked up well only for the later to have his shot well saved by Lye keeper Tommy Harper.

On 39 minutes it was Connor Gater’s turn to test the Lye goal as he struck a left-footed shot from the edge of the area which stayed low and curled just past the far post.

Lye started the second half well and it took an excellent save from James Pemberton to deny Poyntz as he drove into the area from the right.

Despite much of the fizz coming out of Gornal’s performance in the second half, it was still the home side that created the better of the chances.

Jake Morgan almost grabbed the goal his work rate deserved on 53 minutes when he connected with an overhead kick which flew narrowly over the bar.

Lye’s Matt Webb struck a shot with the outside of the foot wide of Pemberton’s goal on 63 minutes before two minutes later a great pass by Gornal substitute Mike Perks set up Green only for him to shoot over the bar.

Gornal found their tempo in the last ten minutes and on 81 minutes Matt Weyman released Marvin Nisbett only for Harper to deny the striker before Weyman grabbed his third in four games with a trademark low shot into the far corner on the angle with two minutes remaining.

In stoppage time Harper once again proved to be Lye’s saviour as another one-on-one with Nisbett saw the keeper come out on top.

Gornal face fifth-placed Bewdley at home on Tuesday (ko 7.45pm) before travelling to Wolverhampton Sporting Community on Saturday (ko 3pm).

Gornal: James Pemberton; Richard Young; Robin Keates; Connor Gater; Chris Waterhouse (Captain); Kristian Green (Danny Ashton, 78); Lee Wherton; Jake Morgan (Ricky Nicholls, 78); Matt Martin (Mike Perks, 68); Marvin Nisbett; Matt Weyman.

Lye: Tommy Harper; Danny Adams (Kieron Virgo, 80); Andrew Owen (Ben Hackett, 87); Dave Andewarta; Michael Jennings; Tim Nicholls; Matt Webb; Damian Whitcombe (Captain); Chris Poyntz; Brett McGilligan; Dan Brown (Ashley Edwards, 45).