Crown & Anchor 6, Bishampton 4

PETER Roberts took the plaudits with a fine second half hat-trick on a day when, Bishampton, in control of the game throughout the first period, will wonder how they managed to end up losers.

The visitors had their first chance after five minutes but Mark Insall headed over.

Six minutes later a second chance came and went when Stuart Hubball shot tamely at the keeper.

Crown were continually on their heels and, midway through the half, with the game still being substitute Mark Taylor played the ball through to Nick Turner who broke clear of the defence. But, with an open goal after rounding the keeper, he shot wide.

The breakthrough came after 40 minutes when Turner played the ball into the path of Taylor and his shot from 18 yards flew into the net.

The visitors expected to carry on where they had left off, but Crown & Anchor equalised two minutes after the restart through Roberts.

Bishampton immediately went on the attack and Rod Phillis saw his header hit a post. Within minutes the hosts were in front as Brian Hillier outpaced the defence to lob the ball over the advancing keeper.

Bishampton equalised in the 55th minute when Steve Brown hit a clearance back over the keeper's head. As Bretherton ran back the ball hit the crossbar, then the keeper and ended up in the goal.

United were ahead a minute later when Greg Mason crossed and Turner fired home.

Another Roberts special from the edge of the area made it 3-3 on 67 minutes and he completed his hat-trick four minutes later with a floated free-kick.

The visitors were rocked back the Crown scored again when Richard John shot in but they replied straightaway with Andrew Murphy scoring from close-range.

The last ten minutes saw the visitors push for the equaliser, but Crown had the final say in stoppage time when Hillier's shot took a wicked deflection.