Soccer-Business as usual for Urawa Reds after J-League break

TOKYO, Sept 15 (Reuters) - J-League leaders Urawa Reds did not allow a two-week international break to disrupt their drive towards a first title since 2006, returning to action at the weekend with a 4-1 hammering of Shimizu S-Pulse. The convincing win in Shizuoka on Saturday extended their lead at the top of the table to four points over Kawasaki Frontale, who hammered bottom club Tokushima Vortis 4-0 to leap-frog Sagan Tosu into second place. Sagan Tosu, the surprise package of the season in only their third year in the top flight, slipped up with a 1-0 defeat at Ventforet Kofu. Urawa Reds have 47 points from 23 matches, Kawasaki 43 and Sagan Tosu 41, a point ahead of seven-times champions Kashima Antlers, who were stunned 2-1 at strugglers Omiya Ardija. The Reds, the 2007 Asian champions, had scored four goals in their two previous J-League matches and tapped into that prolific vein to take a 2-0 halftime lead over S-Pulse through Ryota Moriwaki and Tadanari Lee. Tomoaki Makino headed home the third after 72 minutes and the remainder of the scoring came from Shimizu defender Yasuhiro Hiraoka, who got one back for the home side before putting through his own net in stoppage time. (Reporting by Nick Mulvenney in Sydney, editing by Greg Stutchbury)