SEAN Sherwood’s stunning strike from distance helped Winsford United to condemn struggling AFC Liverpool to an eighth successive league defeat.

The midfielder curled a perfectly-placed shot out of the reach of former Blues goalkeeper Jack Cookson to make it 4-2 shortly after the interval.

Reds rallied, as they had done twice before the break, but could not nick a draw.

Meanwhile Lee Duckworth’s side are one of three in the table’s top six to have 25 points on the board.

They scored first after quarter of an hour when Michael Koral, making his first start since August, fired an angled shot into the corner after collecting Will Foster’s raking pass.

Scott Taylor’s attempt scraped the woodwork before Liverpool levelled when Conor Smith slammed a loose ball high into the net from close-range.

Cookson saved smartly when Koral next broke clear, while at the other end Winsford custodian Matthew Green was alert to thwart Daniel Boden.

Blues restored their lead on 34 minutes when James Rothwell helped on Taylor’s cross and Duckworth found the net with a decisive touch on the volley.

However the visitors restored parity quickly, this time when Joseph Whittington was left unmarked to convert from a free-kick.

Winsford edged ahead a third time before the break.

Ryan Hopper’s inch-perfect pass picked out Taylor, and the wide man’s left-footed shot flashed past Cookson.

Michael Boyle drilled across the face of goal for Reds early in the second period before Sherwood’s super shot established a two-goal cushion for the home team.

The midfielder also had a header cleared off the line from a corner during a dominant spell.

However Liverpool kept alive their hopes of ending a miserable run of results when Boden timed a forward run behind Blues’ defence before shooting low past Green.

Rothwell fluffed a chance to settle the outcome with five minutes left when he hesitated with the goal at his mercy after Cookson made a mess of a clearance.

Winsford | Green (GK), Fowles, Lee Duckworth, Sherwood, Kerr, Foster, Taylor, Hopper, Koral (Short 67), Rothwell, Pickering (Steele 58) Subs not used Gardner, Webb, Joe Duckworth Goals Koral 16, Lee Duckworth 34, Taylor 41, Sherwood 52 Booked Short

AFC Liverpool | Cookson (GK), McConchie, Billington, Weston, Anderson, Holmes (Hill 60), Boyle (Woods 60), Smith (Heron 60), Boden, Whittington, Howell Sub not used Garner (GK) Goals Smith 19, Whittington 39, Boden 75 Booked McConchie, Whittington

Referee Michael Barlow

Attendance 148