RYAN Mellor's double helped Winsford United to defeat opponents who had won their previous three league matches on home turf.

Four goals in a 15-minute spell either side of the interval, three of them for the visitors, changed the course of a contest Blues had trailed since Sam Freakes' free kick deflected past goalkeeper Dale Latham during the early exchanges.

Danny Hudson fluffed a sitter after winning a challenge with Abbey Hey custodian Jonathan McIlwaine inside the six-yard box, then Ryan Hibbert fired narrowly wide from player-manager Lee Duckworth's cross.

However Winsford's pressure did bring dividend five minutes before the break when Adam Bayley, playing his first game for the club in four years, headed in James Rothwell's corner.

Mellor then made it 2-1 with an extraordinary goal, squeezing in a shot from an acute angle after finishing first in a foot-race against McIlwaine to Hudson's lofted pass.

However the hosts restored parity five minutes into the second period, this time when Sam Hind poked in Ollie Ford's set piece from close range.

Blues were undeterred though, and Mellor put them ahead a second time when he finished emphatically after running onto Danny Egan's assist over Abbey Hey's defence.

Latham had to be alert to thwart George Noon, while David Davies timed perfectly a tackle to pinch the ball from Hind in shooting stride.

Substitute Nico Collins blasted high, while Mellor was denied a hat-trick when McIlwaine stretched fully to tip his attempt wide.

Winsford secured maximum points with another goal on 88 minutes.

Scott Taylor picked up possession from a deep cross and, after side-stepping his marker, blasted with power into the far corner of the net.

Blues have scored four times on two of their past three away trips, a feat they hope to repeat when they visit Squires Gate this Saturday.

"It's a great win," said Duckworth afterwards.

"The lads worked their socks off against decent opposition."

Abbey Hey | McIlwaine (GK), Curtis Jones, Smith, Flanagan, Hickman (Hardy 78), Freakes, Ford (Blake 83), Murray, Noon (Collins 65), Hind, Moss Subs not used Talbot, Pickering Goals Freakes 14, Hind 50 Booked Hind

Winsford | Latham (GK), Hibbert, Duckworth, Hull (Parr 18), Davies, Bayley (Riley 83), Taylor, Rothwell, Mellor, Egan, Hudson (Jennings 78) Subs not used Johnson, Michael Jones Goals Bayley 40, Mellor 42 55 Taylor 88

Referee Nick Greenhalgh (Bury)

Attendance 69