SALTASH made it three wins in the last four league games on Saturday as they saw off rock bottom Nailsea.

The Ashes now sit fourth in the table and seven points clear of sixth-placed Buckland Athletic.

Skipper Charlie Elkington set them on their way with a thunderbolt header from an 11th minute corner and further goals followed in the second half with midfield maestro Fin Wilkes getting two of them.

He made it 2-0 in the 54th minute with a trademark shot before Reece Thomson extended the lead after 70 minutes from Max Everall’s cross from the right.

The scoring was completed by Wilkes two minutes later, getting himself in the right position to finish off after a mazy run by lively substitute Joe Preece.

Saltash were boosted by the returns to action of young striker Deacon Thomson, who has been out for a month following a head injury, and Jack Jefford, with both being introduced in the last quarter of the game.

Manager Lee Britchford said: “I was really pleased with our performance – we were in complete control from start to finish.

“I was a little disappointed that we weren’t more clinical in the first half because we created some really good moments and didn’t take them.

“The message to the players at half-time was to keep doing what they were doing and try to get that second goal as quickly as possible. We managed to do that and it was then a case of pushing on.”

SALTASH UNITED: Tyler Coombes; Max Everall, Hayden Greening, Ben Goulty, Tyler Yendle (Tom Huyton, 55), Charlie Elkington (capt), Cole Fisher (Joe Preece, 71), Fin Wilkes, Jayden Gilbert (Deacon Thomson, 67), Reece Thomson, Rhys Connew (Jack Jefford 78). Sub not used: Lee Britchford.

Ashes’ man-of-the-match: Fin Wilkes.