Finlay Barnes sparkles as five-star Scarborough Athletic hammer Bishop’s Stortford 5-0

The win saw the hosts climb to ninth in the table, just a point outside the play-off places, with at least one game in hand over all the team’s above them, writes Steve Adamson.

A sickness bug sidelined Alex Wiles, with loan signing Aidan Rutledge making his first home start, and Harry Green back on the bench after his ankle injury.

Bishop’s went close in the fifth minute, when Giovanni McGregor curled a free-kick narrowly over, after Manny Adebowale was fouled by Alex Purver.

From then on, it was one-way traffic towards the visitors’ goal, as Boro dominated possession and carved out a succession of chances.

Lewis Maloney sent a pass forward to Luca Colville, who squared to Finlay Barnes, his shot pushed round the post by Jack Giddens, and from the resulting Maloney corner, Rutledge headed home at the near post to open the scoring on nine minutes.

Rutledge turned a defender, and passed to Kieran Weledji, who laid off to Barnes to tap home, but an offside flag spoiled his celebrations, then Purver and the on-fire Barnes combined to set up Rutledge, whose fierce strike was saved by the legs of keeper Giddens.

In a rare Bishop’s attack, Bailey Gooda headed away a shot from Darren Foxley, before Boro doubled their lead when a right-wing corner from Barnes led to a goalmouth scramble, with Gooda’s header saved, and Rutledge having his shot deflected onto the bar, before Weledji slammed home the rebound.

McGregor blazed wide, and Brown blocked another McGregor shot, but Boro went 3-0 up when the excellent Brown intercepted a stray pass on the halfway line, raced forward and sent an inviting pass to Barnes, who fired into the roof of the net.

Boro were in total command, a Barnes through-ball towards Rutledge was kicked clear by Harry Beadle, a Barnes cross was punched off the head of Rutledge by Giddens, and Adebowale won some towering headers at the back as the pressure continued.

It was a similar story in the second half, a Brown cross fell to Barnes, whose shot was deflected wide by Beadle, before the fourth goal arrived on 52 minutes, when a Barnes shot was saved by busy keeper Giddens with the ball cleared to Colville, who drilled his shot into the bottom right corner.

Then Barnes forced a good diving save from Giddens, and from the resulting corner to the far post by Frank Mulhern, Will Thornton headed into the goalmouth, and Don Tear’s overhead-kick forced another Giddens save.

Mbunya Alemanji burst forward for the visitors, but was halted by Thornton’s strong tackle, before Boro again went forward, and a Barnes through-ball sent Tear one-on-one with Giddens, but the Bishops keeper made yet another good save, then Brown set up a chance for Rutledge, but Beadle made the block.

Weledji sent a ball into the box to Purver, whose shot was deflected wide by Foxley, Harry Green ended a surging run forward with a 25-yard dipping shot that was superbly tipped wide by Giddens, and a Weledji shot was blocked by Adebowale.

Another Green strike was tipped away by the diving keeper, and Purver fired inches wide of the left-hand post.

Bishop’s created late half-chances, Serigne Sow shooting wide, Gooda hacking clear when Harrison Sodje sent a low ball into the area, and Ryan Charles glanced a header wide from an Oliver Peters corner, but Boro added a fifth goal near the end, when Brown burst forward and laid off to Green, who unleashed a terrific low drive that flew past keeper Giddens to complete the scoring.

BORO - Whitley, Weledji, Brown, Maloney (Tear 30), Thornton, Gooda, Purver, Rutledge, Mulhern (Green 63), Barnes, Colville (Durose 53)

BISHOP’S STORTFORD - Giddens, Sodje, Thomas (Peters 71), Beadle, McGregor (Sow 58), Alemanji, Foxley, Olufemi, Adebowale, Charles, Alexander (Marlow 53)

REFEREE - Oliver Mackey

GOALS - BORO - Aidan Rutledge 9, Kieran Weledji 21, Finlay Barnes 29, Luca Colville 52, Harry Green 88

CORNERS - BORO 11 BISHOP’S STORTFORD 2

GOAL ATTEMPTS - BORO 18 BISHOP’S STORTFORD 3

YELLOW CARDS - BISHOP’S STORTFORD - Mark Hughes (coach), Serigne Sow

BORO MAN OF MATCH - Finlay Barnes

ATTENDANCE - 1,294 (20 away).