Cleethorpes Town cruised past Market Rasen Town at Bradley Community Stadium, running out comfortable 6-1 winners in a match sponsored by Linden Homes and BJB Lift Trucks.

Luke Todd scored four first half goals for the Owls, with Darren Hanslip and Luke Mascall also contributing to a first half goal-fest.

They failed to find the back of the net in the second half but the win was enough for Cleethorpes to return to the summit of the Sills & Betteridge Lincolnshire League.

With manager Andy Liddell on holiday, assistant Martyn Jacklin took temporary control of the first team and made six changes to the team that drew 2-2 with Nettleham six days before.

Matthew Coleman returned to the heart of the Owls defence and Luke Todd made his first league start for the club. There were also starting berths for Steve Wright, Reece Newell, Marc Sawyer and Jonathan Oglesby.

A stormy torrential downpour threatened the match even taking place but, after a 15 minute delay and resulting pitch inspection, referee Dean Myhill gave the game the go ahead.

Cleethorpes were more than thankful for that decision after nine minutes when Luke Mascall played a precise long ball down the right flank to pick out Luke Todd who delicately knocked the ball over Rasen goalkeeper Dale Christie.

That advantage was doubled just a minute later. With the ball holding up in the puddle-ridden Rasen penalty area, the away side failed to clear, allowing Phil Cawley to pull the ball back for Darren Hanslip to drive the ball home.

The contest was effectively over before 15 minutes had been played – Todd the beneficiary of some more hesitant defending and finishing confidently to put his team 3-0 up.

Aside from an audacious 40 yard free kick which bamboozled Owls keeper Miles Fenty and hit the crossbar, Cleethorpes were controlling the match. Luke Todd’s hat-trick came with less than half an hour played and was gifted to the frontman after a misjudgement from ‘keeper Christie.

Christie was again in the thick of the action for Cleethorpes’ fifth goal. The stopper was deceived by the flight of a direct ball forward from a free-kick, giving Mascall a tap in for 5-0.

Nathan Smith pulled one back for Rasen but the five-goal difference was restored just before the half-time interval when Jonathan Oglesby was brought down for a penalty kick. Todd took the chance to score his fourth.

The second half was a much more quiet and balanced affair, but neither side could add to the seven first half goals.

Neither Ian Williams nor James Bennett could capitalise on some lapses in concentration in the Owls ranks while Oglesby and Todd could have added to the home side’s tally.

Meanwhile Mascall was forced off injured for Cleethorpes with a little over 20 minutes still to play. Brody Robertson replaced him.

The best chance of the half came right at the death and fell to goal-hungry Todd – but a fantastic last-ditch tackle from James Brothwell denied him a fifth.

Cleethorpes host fifth-placed Boston United Reserves at the Stamford Club on Saturday afternoon.