Although not firing on all cylinders, Evesham United still had too much know-how to beat a poor Racing Club Warwick side 5-1 in the Dr Martens League Western Division.

Andy Hodgetts grabbed the headlines with a smartly taken hat-trick and has now found the net five times in his last three league games.

Manager Phil Mullen, again rung the changes at the end of another hectic week, but any fears of Warwick picking up a league 'double' were quashed inside the opening ten minutes when they went two goals up.

It took only five minutes for United to open the scoring. Warwick 'keeper Craig Dutton, under pressure from one of his defenders, dropped the ball from Hodgetts' header at the feet of Stuart Payne, who duly netted his 13th goal for the club from six yards.

United doubled their advantage five minutes later. Payne beat two defenders down the left before crossing to Hodgetts who swept a first-time shot past Dutton.

Although they continued to dominate, it wasn't until the 62nd minute that goal number three arrived. Paul Davies was hacked down on the edge of the box and Hodgetts stepped up to sidefoot home the resulting free kick.

With nine minutes remaining, Mark Wolsey sent Andy Smith away down the right and he outstripped the defence before drilling past Dutton.

Hodgetts completed his hat-trick soon after, when he cut in from the left, waltzed past Dutton and rolled the ball home into an empty net.

Warwick pulled a goal back a minute from time through a David Titterton penalty after Dan McSheffrey's free kick had struck a hand in the United wall.

Evesham: Beattie 7, Smith 7, Pendleton 7, Clark 7, Powell 7 (Brown 82), Parmenter 7, Wolsey 7, Hodgetts 8, Davies 7 (Preedy 73), Payne 6, Licata 6 (Taylor 45, 6).

Star man: Andy Hodgetts.

Attendance: 159.