HEADED goals from Tom Beckett and Adam Gilchrist saw Pilkington overcome Glossop North End 2-0, in a strong performance that extended their unbeaten home form for the season to 10 matches – in all competitions, writes Liam McDermott.

Pilks could, and perhaps should, have taken an early lead – when Taylor Prescott’s volley bobbled fortuitously into the path of Callum Laird.

However, the usually reliable frontman fired straight at goalkeeper, Louis Hood, for a comfortable save.

Having rode their luck and seen Chris Webster’s header loop just wide, Glossop nearly took advantage – with what would have been a Goal of the Season contender.

Nathan Valentine couldn’t have caught his strike with any more sweetness, power and purchase – but his rasping drive was kept at bay by an equally impressive save from Jake Hilton.

With that, both sides did well to match each other and, on the other side of a rare cooling break for this time of year, it was Pilks that opened the scoring.

You’d fancy Gilchrist to get the better of most goalkeepers in the league, when one-on-one – but the seasoned striker was to be denied by Hood’s excellent save.

However, one man who wasn’t to be denied was Beckett, who capitalised on the follow-up and headed in, via the post.

The hosts were buoyed by that and, coming up against a side that they lost 2-0 to in the corresponding fixture just a month ago, doubled their lead – four minutes before the interval.

With the hosts imposing themselves resiliently at the back, extending their lead wasn’t necessarily at the forefront of their mind – but rather, keeping their clean sheet in tact.

However, having headed away brilliantly in the early stages of the match, Gary Kenny found himself in unfamiliar surroundings – further up the pitch.

The experienced defender once again used his head – but Prescott sliced a volley wide, from his knock-down.

With that, the outcome of the match looked inevitable – albeit, Glossop reducing the arrears wasn’t for the want of trying.

The visitors had two great chances in quick succession – but were denied by Webster’s brave block, before Hilton kept one of their main men, Jacques Etia, at bay with a superb save.

Oliver Filson guided a perfect cross onto the head of Gilchrist and, having previously been kept out, the forward headed beyond Hood – despite the keeper getting a hand to the ball.

Glossop weren’t too discouraged by Pilks being in a seemingly commanding position of comfortability – but Hilton was an unbeatable man, saving Moses Yoak’s header in the midst of a goalmouth scramble.

When Yoak headed wide, before seeing his venomous free-kicked punched away by Hilton, it was conclusive that it wasn’t Glossop’s day – with Pilks claiming a commendable clean sheet, as well as all three points.