An early goal from Callum Stewart set the visitors on the path to another three points before Michael found their feet and made the Blackberry Lane side work hard to edge themselves clear.

Further goals from Sean Gavin and Dean France sealed the victory, with the scoring action confined to the opening 45 minutes.

Stewart's goal arrived with just seven minutes on the clock and before the game had settled into any sort of pattern.

Picking the ball up on the edge of the penalty area, he swivelled while striking the ball low into the corner of the net past Michael's stand-in keeper Andrew Berry, an outfield player who went on to deputise for the absent Gary Burgess in impressive style as the game unfolded.

Gavin flashed a shot across goal as Old Boys looked to assert their authority on proceedings but Michael stuck doggedly to their task despite being on the backfoot.

Midfielders Jonny Holland and Kevin Pulman set the tone by snapping into a series of strong tackles and competing well in the middle of the field while full-back Dean Wales's monstrous throw-ins were a cause for concern in the Old Boys box, but ultimately came to nothing.

The visitors extended their lead on 26 minutes just as Michael were starting to get the upper hand for the first time in the game.

A kick out from Berry was nodded back towards the Michael goal and Gavin was the first to react before racing clear and calmly slotting the ball home for 2-0.

Holland came close to reducing the deficit minutes later after a Nick Hurt free-kick had caused confusion in the visitors' defence but Michael were continually stretched at the back, with Stewart wriggling clear on the left and showing flashes of skill in the final third of the pitch on more than one occasion.

Michael came closest to scoring in the 35th minute - but it would have been an own goal had Gavin's block from a Pulman cross bounced a few inches the other side of the post.

And although the home side were still in the game at this point, their task was made even tougher on the stroke of half-time when a cross from the left led to hesitancy in the home defence and France took full advantage by nipping in to touch the ball into the net.

The second half began with Berry producing a magnificent double save to deny Gavin before picking himself up to punch clear as the ball was again pelted into the Michael penalty area.

Moments later it was Wales who produced a tremendous piece of defending by clearing off the goal line after France had rounded the keeper and looked as if he would grab his second of the game.

Berry was quick off his line to smother another France effort as Old Boys continued to turn the screw and made a further claim for the man of the match honours by denying Craig Stewart in another one-on-one situation.

The visitors failed to replicate this spell of pressure for the remainder of the game and allowed Michael to stage a series of attacks through Hurt and Holland before Mike Hammond wasted a decent opportunity by firing wide at the near post when he should have at least tested the keeper.

Michael Andrew Berry, Dean Wales, Raj Nandha, Jon Woodward, Mike Hammond, Jonny Holland, Mark Reynolds (Juan Callister 50), Nick Hurt, Michael Perks, Jamie Moffatt, Kevin Pulman.

Old Boys Sam Holliday, Chris Clinton, Simon Wosser, Tommy Miller, Mark Burman, Dean France (Matthew Quilliam 81), Callum Stewart, Craig Stewart, Robbie Ward, Jamie Skillen Liam Buckley 75), Sean Gavin.
Referee Willie Cowley