Sandbach United were in dreamland after they ran out 7-0 winners over Eastwood Hanley with a week to go until the league season commences.

The Ramblers had lost their previous two friendlies against higher league opposition and were looking to get their pre-season back on track at home before their opening NWCFL fixture against Brocton FC.

The hosts started brightly as they looked to get in behind the Hanley defence, and Bobbie McDonnell almost opening the scoring on 3 minutes, but the keeper smothered the danger well. Trialist Amir Hajri had the next big chance when he rounded the keeper but had his shot blocked behind.

Sandbach did have the ball in the net in the 8th minute through Robbie Hatton when he chipped the goalkeeper but was denied by the linesman's flag.

The home side eventually broke the deadlock after 14 minutes when Kieran O'Connell won a header at the back post and sent it down into the 6-yard box, where defensive midfielder Callum Evans was there to poke it home.

Sean Moscrop was the next Sandbach player to come close to scoring when he drove through the Hanley defence at will but dragged his shot wide. Hatton and McDonnell looked to play off each other very well throughout the half and were denied several times by an in-form Hanley goalkeeper.

The next goal was coming, and Kieran O'Connell provided it in the 35th minute. A clever reverse pass from McDonnell was driven low into the box by Moscrop for O'Connell to simply tap in.

Hajri looked a threat all half and got his goal in the 39th minute when he once more rounded the keeper after breaking through the defence, before calmly passing it across goal and into the far corner. Scott Evans looked to cap his sensational first-half performance with a free-kick goal but was denied by a jaw-dropping save from the away goalkeeper, tipping a strike destined for the top corner onto the crossbar.

The Sandbach onslaught continued after the halftime interval, with Hajri passing up a good crossing opportunity to Evans by striking instead, and the keeper held on well to his powerful effort.

McDonnell got the goal his performance deserved on the hour mark, but it was beautifully assisted by the silky play of Moscrop. The midfielder ran onto a McDonnell through ball, dribbled round the goalkeeper before unselfishly setting the ball back to McDonnell for a tap in when most would have passed it into an empty net themselves.

Hajri doubled his own tally in the 73rd minute when he shifted the ball onto his right foot just outside the box before curling an unstoppable shot into the top right corner, past the despairing dive of the substitute Hanley keeper.

Less than a minute later, Trialist Amadou Doumbouya scored the Ramblers sixth when he showed a wonderful turn of pace to accelerate away from the defenders. Faced with the onrushing goalkeeper, he slowed down and calmly slotted a shot into the bottom right corner effortlessly.

Sandbach then capped off a superb display with a Jack Hart goal in the 84th minute. The creative midfielder, who'd recently recovered from injury, received a crisp pass from Kallam Boyle before driving it past the goalkeeper into the bottom left corner.

Sandbach now face South Liverpool FC on Wednesday 28th July in their final pre-season friendly before welcoming Brocton FC to Hind Heath Road on Saturday 31st July.