PADIHAM found the going tough on Merseyside.

Mick Bourne gave Formby the lead with a fifth minute free kick that deflected off the Storks' defensive wall and wrong-footing Padiham's debutant keeper Andrew Blades.

Neil Smith added a second for the home side six minutes into the second half and 15 minutes from time a glancing header by Mark Wilson made sure there was no route back into the game for Padiham, leaving Formby to celebrate their return to the North West Counties Football League with a 3-0 victory.