Gloucestershire County League

Hanham Athletic 0 Thornbury Town 4

FOR the third successive week, Thornbury Town hit four as they continue to challenge at the top of Gloucestershire County League table.

This time it was Hanham Athletic who were on the receiving end as Thorns moved up into second place.

Early exchanges were fairly even on a difficult pitch but it was Town who looked the most likely to take the lead.

The opening goal came on 20 minutes when Toby Bennett’s free kick from 25 yards out was completely misjudged by home keeper Max Heaven.

Town then wasted a couple of chances and were almost made to pay when Hanham’s Adam Grinter struck the upright on the half hour mark.

However it was Thornbury who always looked to be in control and they doubled their lead right on half time when Brandon Benjamin squeezed the ball home from a tight angle.

Kicking down the slope in the second period, Thornbury dominated possession but struggled to increase their lead with a combination of missed chances and frantic defending.

They eventually gave the scoreline a more realistic look on eighty minutes when good build-up play saw Craig Lancastle net their third.

Thornbury keeper Tom Sheppard kept his goal intact with a fine save from Hanham’s Luke Simmons a couple of minutes from the end, but it was Thorns who had the final word when Bennett netted his second of the afternoon and Town’s fourth.

And now they are all set for the big one on Saturday as the Mundy Playing Fields hosts a top the table clash when league leaders Lebeq United are the visitors.

Lebeq currently hold a one hundred per cent record and have been scoring freely so Town know they have a difficult game on their hands.

Kick -off for the match on Saturday is at 3pm.