Cleethorpes Town made it 40 league games without defeat on Saturday afternoon, seeing off Market Rasen Town 3-0 at Rase Park.

Richard Peck scored a first half header for the Owls and Luke Mascall doubled the lead with twenty minutes to go. Phil Cawley sealed the victory in the dying moments.

Boss Andy Liddle made two changes to the team that beat Ruston Sports 6-0 a fortnight ago. Jonathan Oglesby and Luke Todd were recalled, replacing Brody Robertson and Alan Lamb. There was also a place on the bench for former Bradford City midfielder Alex Flett.

Cleethorpes started positively with left-back Daniel Barrett going close with a long-range effort which skimmed off the wet surface but just went wide of the post.

The away side were dominating play but struggling to create chances, and Rasen almost made them pay, winger Andrew Belt getting free at the far post but drilling his shot high and wide.

On 20 minutes, Mascall was presented with an excellent opportunity to put the visitors a goal up. Micky Steer was dispossessed by a slide tackle in midfield but the ball fell to Mascall, miles behind the defensive line. However he couldn’t beat the goalkeeper and the ball was cleared.

Four minutes later and the Lincolnshire League leaders did have the lead. Barrett’s corner from the right was delivered with accuracy and Peck squeezed the ball between the post and the defender on the line to put his side a goal up.

Goalkeeper Scott Drury had not been tested in the entire first half but, with Cleethorpes going into half-time with just a one-goal advantage, there was still everything to play for in the second period.

The Owls continued to dominate the first 15 minutes of the second half with Peck and Mascall both going close to extending the lead.

After Todd picked up a booking for dissent, he was withdrawn as a precautionary measure and was replaced by Lewis Wilson. Wilson slotted in on the left hand side, meaning Mascall was given a more attacking, central role.

The tactical change paid immediate dividends. Oglesby took advantage of some slack Rasen defending to go one-on-one with the goalkeeper. He spread himself to save well but Cawley was following up and he drilled the ball across goal for Mascall to tap-in and claim his 15th league goal of the season.

It was a goal which effectively ended the game as a contest and, after Callum Day and Alex Flett were introduced, Liddle’s men went on to grab a third.

Barrett floated in another delightful set piece and Cawley met it from six yards out, sending a bullet header into the top left-hand corner of the goal.

With Skegness United also picking up a win against Ruston Sports, it means the Owls remain 16 points clear of their nearest rivals, who have five games in hand.

Cleethorpes travel to United’s local rivals Skegness Town next weekend.