West Bromwich 2, Pershore 5

AN EXCELLENT performance helped Pershore maintain their challenge for promotion to DTZ League West Midlands One.

Unusually, the visitors started strongly with Taylor, Joyce and Rushton impressing down the left and they took the lead with a fine individual goal from Dale-Smith who fired into the roof of the net after the first of several mazy runs.

Ten minutes later he repeated the performance to establish a 2-0 lead.

West Brom fought hard to stay in the match and Curley in goal ably assisted by Rushin and Attwood, was happy to keep them out until half-time.

The second half opened with the home defence under pressure again and it was no surprise when Pershore added two more goals courtesy of identical deflections, the first by Joyce and the second by Rushton.

Pershore, as has happened in recent weeks, relaxed and that can be fatal against the hosts who never know when they are beaten until the final whistle has blown.

Mistakes provided them with an open goal converted easily by the home striker and they went close on several other occasions with Jamie Hughes, in particular, making some fine interceptions to deny them a second.

Pershore picked themselves up and Dale-Smith completed his hat-trick, rounding the home keeper before converting from close-range. Even then, West Brom weren't finished and scored a second to reduce the final margin of defeat.

The Plums must now win their last two matches to end the season as champions.

Streetly III 0, Pershore III 0

THE home side immediately put Pershore under pressure, but failed to make any clear-cut chances and it was Rob Handley and Mears who came closest to opening the scoring.

Good goalkeeping at both ends kept the score down and timely interceptions from Mike and Tom Handley prevented Streetly from making any real progress with only a wayward back pass from Ingram that missed Rushin by some distance, creating alarms at the back.

More excellent hockey from both sides made the second half as memorable as the first with Mears and Emsley coming close and Hughes and Taylor playing like rocks in defence.