Gloucestershire County League

Thornbury Town 5 Hardwicke 1

THORNBURY Town need just one point from their final four matches to secure the Gloucestershire County League title.

They comfortably beat Hardwicke 5-1 at the Mundy Playing Fields on Saturday and can win the league at AEK Boco on Tuesday night.

If they win or draw, then there is nothing that Almondsbury-based Lebeq United, who are 12 points behind, can do to stop Town lifting the crown.

On Saturday, leading goal-scorer Craig Lancastle completed another hat-trick to add to his total for the season with the first coming after just six minutes from a cross into the box where the visitor’s keeper got into a muddle with a defender and the ball fell to Lancastle to tap home.

It was 2-0 on 16 minutes when Joe Guest burst down the right cut into the box was brought down for a penalty. Lancastle took the kick and made no mistake.

A third goal on 25 minutes a tremendous curling shot that whistled into the top corner from Luke Franklin made it 3-0 at the break.

On 51 minutes, Lancastle completed his hat-trick and then Hardwicke got on the scene with a goal a ball squared back across the box and Craig Harris was on hand to drive it home. Toby Bennett then finished the scoring for the day on 75 minutes. Hardwicke finished the game with 10 men when Jamie Reid was sent off near the end.