Evo-Stik Southern, West

Salisbury 5 Slimbridge 1

SLIMBRIDGE went down by five goals to one on Saturday to Steve Claridge's Salisbury in the Evo-Stik Southern, West who now sit seven points clear in second spot in the league table.

Without the injured Jack Twyman and with Tom Hoskins and Dean Turner, both away, Slimbridge travelled light to the Ray Mac stadium and with a healthy expectant home crowd of 631 the Swans were always going to be up against it.

Yet the opening five minutes could have seen the visitors two goals up as early chances by Sean Lawson and Max Harper Emerson went begging.

However, it did not take long for the Whites to get their large home followers singing when after ten minutes Owen Howe converted Tom Whelan's cross from close in.

Just seven minutes later Stuart Green scored the first of his hat trick when Howe set him up with a superb defence splitting ball, Green finishing well past Ollie Hall in the visitors goal.

Hall, who was outstanding during the 90 minutes pulled off a stunning save from Howe's shot on 38minutes but the resulting corner was headed home by George Colson to give Salisbury a comfortable three goal lead.

There was a further set back for the Swans just before the break when centre back Kieran Squires was stretchered off with concussion to be replaced by youngster Kai Mahon.

The second period was all about the Swans trying to keep the score down and in all fairness they did superbly well to restrict the home side to just two more goals, Green completing his hat trick with two good finishes in the 63rd and 84th minutes, the latter goal coming after Hall had made a miraculous double save.

In between those two goals though came something to lift the travelling supporters when a defensive mix up by a home defender and keeper Charlie Searle, who was outside of his penalty area, allowed Kai Mahon to rob them of the ball and roll it into an empty net to secure the youngster his first goal for the club in only his third appearance.

The Swans were further hampered with a injury to full back Sam Turl late on but the influential defender, to his credit, struggled on.

So a comfortable win for a very good Salisbury outfit who will now surely go on to secure the second automatic promotion spot behind runaway leaders Taunton Town.

As for the Swans, they must now regroup for a tough looking fixture away to Evesham Utd on Wednesday evening and then a home clash versus Mangotsfield Utd on Saturday.

Team; Hall, Turl, Mace, Pring, Squires (Mahon 41) Hoyle, Ward, Stokes, Lawson, Harper-Emerson, Thomas.

Supporters man of the match: Ollie Hall

Attendance: 631.