South Liverpool won 4-0 against a new-look Sandbach United side days before the league campaign begins.

Manager Andy Hockenhull said before the game that the team would contain several reserve players and trialists to avoid injury to key first team players and for resting purposes.

The visiting side started on the back foot as the Ramblers camped around the box in the opening minutes, with a trialist lashing a volley just wide of the near post after two minutes.

Liverpool scored the opener after 4 minutes in very fortuitous circumstances. An attempted clearance from the Sandbach defence took a wicked deflection off a Liverpool player, before looping high into the air and dropping into the far corner of the net with Danny Hamlett helpless to stop it.

Sandbach continued their dominance over proceedings despite conceding the early goal, and Steve Jones was the next player to come close when he headed a great cross narrowly over the crossbar.

After 18 minutes, reserves captain Keilahn Annikey tried to latch onto a through ball, but it overran to the goalkeeper.

However, he made a mess of it and the ball was presented to Annikey at a tight angle around 8 yards out. He looked to pass before deciding to try his luck, but his effort went over the bar.

Annikey came close again on 35 minutes when he got his head on a wonderful cross from a free kick but hit the side netting.

Liverpool then had their first real attack since the goal on the stroke of half time when a low cross made it all the way to the back post, but Hamlett produced an excellent reaction save to deny the visiting striker.

In the second period, Sandbach reshuffled the team to provide minutes for several trialists. However, it was Liverpool who scored early yet again, this time from the penalty spot.

It was a contentious decision as there didn't appear to be much contact in the box, but the Liverpool player dusted himself off and dispatched the penalty into the bottom right corner past the dive of substitute keeper Eric Merner.

Despite Sandbach continuing to dominate the ball, Liverpool turned their few chances into goals and extended their lead to three on the hour mark.

A low ball into the box caused chaos and despite a good Merner save and a goal-line block, a Liverpool player poked the rebound home.

Sandbach turned their dominance into some real shooting chances after the third goal, with a trialist beating the defender before rifling a shot off the near post. #

After 77 minutes, the Ramblers hit the crossbar before a Trialist saw his rebounded shot brilliantly saved by the right foot of the Liverpool keeper.

Liverpool then scored a fourth in the dying minutes of the match through another penalty when the striker was taken down by a frustrated late challenge, which was dispatched into the bottom left corner.

Sandbach now look to their opening game of the season against Brocton FC in the NWCFL at Hind Heath Road on Saturday (31st July).