STANLEY wideman Chris Turner admitted he thought his first league goal was never going to come.

Since making his debut for the Reds in January the ex-Burnley winger has got closer and closer to getting the goal but feared it may be a long way off - especially when colleague John Miles told him it took him 18 months to get off the mark.

So when the teenager saw his 54th minute shot hit the inside of the post, roll along the line and finally finish in the back of the net against Cheltenham on Saturday, he admitted he couldn’t quite believe it.

"It was a huge relief," smiled the 19-year-old. "Everything went through my head as I needed a goal.

"I did mis-hit it. I hit the ball into the ground, it hit the post and rolled along the ground and went in. I didn’t know what to do but I think Andy Procter then jumped on me.

"I didn't know when it was going to come but I was speaking to Milesy a few weeks ago and he said it took him 18 months to get his first goal and I thought ‘Oh no’ so to get it now - after 32 games - is pleasing. I am absolutely buzzing."

Burnley-born Turner is a fans favourite at the Crown Ground having turned in a stunning debut in a shock call-up against Rochdale last season and now he is trying to cement a regular place in the side.

Against fellow mid-table side Cheltenham it was a rare start for him but once he found the back of the net, more goals folllowed as the Reds ran riot in a 20-minute breathless spell. Turner continued: "At the break, we got told to step it up another gear and we did. I knew once we got one, the floodgates would open - and they did."

Phil Edwards got the next after Man of the Match Michael Symes had evaded a tackle from defender Andy Gallinagh but had stayed standing - with the ref still giving the penalty.

The defender is a calm head from the spot and made it three goals for the season as he sent the keeper the wrong way on 59 minutes.

Bobby Grant then sidefooted home the third after getting on the end of Symes' flick on and Grant scored a stunning second which would have been replayed again and again if it had been in the Premiership.

He was on the edge of the area, seemingly crowded out but he showed nifty footwork to play a clever chip which found the top corner of the net.

It was a fitting scoreline after another turbulent week at the Crown Ground and some fans held up a banner saying "What next?" at the start of the game questioning the eventful going osn behind the scenes at the crisis club.

What was next was a tepid first half with both sides limited for chances with the main one a Miles free kick which keeper Scott Brown tipped over on the stroke of half-time.

Martin Allen’s side were struggling up front and offered little, with keeper Ian Dunbavin not having a single save to make.

But Allen’s cause wasn’t helped with the loss of captain Michael Townsend with a back strain on the half hour and then, in a complete mis-match of sizes, small midfielder Sam Cox was moved back to mark the tall Symes and, after the break, the Reds exploited this.

Symes won every header, Miles ran at the makeshift defence and caused them all kinds of problems and it seemed only a matter of time for the breakthrough to come.

Once Miles found Turner that was it and then it could have been five or six with Symes hitting the upright, Miles screwing an effort wide and Grant denied a hat-trick by a block.

Boss John Coleman could even give teenager Adam Black a run-out to make his league debut as the Reds were in total charge.

"I am delighted for Chris Turner," said Coleman whose team have now scored 11 goals in their last three homes games and taken nine points out of nine.

"It is his first league goal and it’s a great boost for any player, For my 500-and-odd goals, I never got a league goal so he is already ahead of me.

"Symesy was absolutely fantastic and that is as good a 45 minutes by a centre forward that I have ever seen.

"Granty’s fourth was Cantona-esque and a beautiful goal. And Granty’s first goal was a good one. The ball got caught under his feet but he managed to stroke it in.

"We know we have got to play games at full throttle. That’s what the fans deserve, what they respond to and what I like watching.

"We have been a bit more consistent at home this season and played at a better tempo and, if we had played like that against Shrewsbury and Northampton too, we might have been touching the play-offs."

And that’s where they are aiming for now - if they keep turning in shows on the pitch and the problems off it, with the £308,000 tax bill, are solved.

Turner added: "When you cross the line and are playing football you forget all the problems. It’s about getting the three points, doing the club proud and keep going forward."

And he aims to keep doing that.