FC Stratford go goal crazy to crush Leamington Hibs

FOOTBALL

FC Stratford 12

Leamington Hibernian 1

Midland League, Division Three

SUBSTITUTE Ben Hill smashed a quickfire hat-trick to help FC Stratford overwhelmed visitors Leamington Hibernian 12-1 in their Midland League Division Three fixture on Saturday.

James Gifford also completed a hat-trick inside half an hour at the MoodChimp Stadium and went on to score four as Stratford stormed to a fourth win in a row and moved into second place in the table as a result.

The hosts dominated from the start and raced into a 5-0 interval.

Gifford opened the scoring after ten minutes after collecting Dean Poulson’s cross before Ashley Wilkes headed home from Dylan Parker’s hanging cross.

Gifford raced clear to gather Tom Dyke’s long ball forward and slot into the bottom corner and then added his third and Stratford’s fourth from Parker’s cross.

Tom Parnaby made it 5-0, nodding in a Nick Cox’s inviting cross before half-time.

Leamington rallied straight after the break but Dave Poulson’s side were soon back in control.

Gifford finished from Parker’s centre, before Parnaby powered home a shot and then Parker got his reward after rounding the keeper from Cox’s through-ball.

Hill then took centre stage, tapping home Gifford’s cross and then poking home Freddy Murphy’s cross before completing his hat-trick from Jay Tilbury’s. Tilbury rounded off a dazzling dozen with a precise left-footed strike for Stratford’s 12th.

Poulson’s men return to action on Saturday with a Les James Challenge Cup-tie at Earlswood Town.

See this week’s Herald for more.