NEW striker Mike Taylor made it seven goals in two starts as Bromsgrove Sporting demolished nine-man AFC Rushden & Diamonds 8-2.
Taylor racked up four in the Southern League Premier Division Central clash with both Diamonds red cards coming with the score at 3-2.
READ MORE | Report, reaction and ratings - Worcester City 1 Long Eaton United 3
The ex-Stratford Town poacher linked up with the Rouslers shortly after a brief stint at Stourbridge and ran in a hat-trick in a 5-0 Southern League Cup victory over Bedworth United in midweek.
Taylor then opened the scoring 11 minutes in, forcing his way in to slot home.
Rushden levelled through Ryan Dove’s rebound in the 21st minute but back came Bromsgrove through Jack Wilson’s free-kick.
Sporting keeper Tony Breeden had a moment to forget, failing to clear to gift Jack Bowen another equaliser but Taylor was not done and produced a similar goal to his first to make it 3-2.
Zack Reynolds got his marching orders for an alleged stamp on Josh Quaynor late in the first half, while Jack Ashton got a straight red card in the 58th minute for a two-footed lunge on Charlie Dowd.
The chances began to flow for Bromsgrove and Nathan Hayward converted a Quaynor corner to as good as make the points safe.
That was how it stayed until eight minutes to go when Taylor notched on the rebound and then chased down a short back pass before selflessly rolling Shaquille McDonald in for a simple sixth.
Taylor then beat three men and dinked over keeper Ben Heath with Dowd rounding off the scoring in added time.
Redditch United suffered a fourth straight league defeat, going down 3-1 at Biggleswade Town.
Shaun Lucien’s free-kick divided the teams at the interval and while Liam Truslove equalised soon after the restart, Joe White’s header from a flicked-on free-kick restored Town’s lead.
Drew Richardson sealed the deal in the 90th minute, finishing emphatically.
Evesham United made light work of Mangotsfield United in Division One South despite losing Jack Cresswell to a red card.
Lee Chilton’s hat-trick helped seal a 4-0 victory with a penalty and close-range finish followed by Ryan Paddock’s point-blank conversion five minutes before the interval.
Cresswell was given his marching orders for a robust challenge prior to the break but half-time substitute Kai Tonge laid on Chilton’s third early in the second half to settle any nerves.
Jack Downing set up one and scored a penalty as Stourport Swifts beat high-flying Newark Flowserve 2-0 in the Midland Football League Premier Division.
Downing snatched possession and teed up Joe Billingham for the opener four minutes into the second half then did the business from 12 yards after Nick MacPherson had been fouled in the box.
Flowserve finished the match with 10 men thanks to a red card three minutes from the end.
Worcester Raiders moved up to fourth in West Midlands (Regional) League Premier Division with a 3-0 win at bottom-of-the-table Cradley Town.
Kirk Layton got the ball rolling 11 minutes into the second half with a double from ex-Stourbridge hotshot Ryan Rowe making life comfortable for a Raiders side that had taken one point from its previous four league outings.
It marked a fifth win so far for the promoted side that has still yet to play a home match due to the Worcestershire FA’s ongoing development of Claines Lane.
Adam Garmson keeps scoring but could not save Littleton from a 2-1 defeat to Wolverhampton Sporting Community.
Ex-Worcester City midfielder Kaoui Attoumani put Sporting in front at Five Acres with Soms Sibanda doubling the lead by half-time.
Garmson got one back late on but could not rescue the Ton Boys from a fourth league setback of the campaign to date.
Pershore Town saw off third-bottom Wem Town 4-2 despite Grant Butler bagging a brace for the visitors, each of them coming with his side three down.
Connor Collins and James Lemon are having a battle for the golden boot at Droitwich Spa, each notching twice in a 7-1 win at Bustleholme in Division One.
Jordan Cox, Brad Burgess and Ben Tilbury got the others with Collins already on nine for the campaign and Lemon weighing in with eight.
Joint-boss Lee Hooper came off the bench and scored twice in Malvern Town’s 6-0 drubbing of Bourton Rovers on their own patch in Hellenic League Division One West.
The Hillsiders dominated from the off but had to wait until four minutes before half-time for James Febery to break the deadlock.
The second half saw the goals flow with Matt Turner getting two either side of Harry Clark’s strike before Hooper’s late intervention added gloss to the score.
Sixth-placed Malvern now sit within three points of leaders Malmesbury Victoria with two games in hand.
Unbeaten Westfields lead the Premier Division by four points after Richard Greaves and Aidan Thomas notched either side of the break in a 2-1 victory over Brackley Town Saints.
Hereford drew 0-0 at Tamworth in the FA Cup third qualifying round. The replay will be on Tuesday (7.45)
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here