Alresford Town 0 Brockenhurst 3: SCOTT Joyce’s hat-trick sent the Magpies spinning out of the League Cup on a dismal, damp afternoon at Arlebury Park.

The big striker had scored the only goal in the previous meeting between the two sides. This time he used his know-how to play on the shoulder of his markers, the sharpness to dart into gaps, the strength to hold off challenges and the coolness to finish clinically. His contribution was very much the difference between the two sides.

Despite the wet conditions the pitch held up well, allowing both sides to play passing football. In the first half, particularly, the home side passed the ball well. But they were toothless in attack while the makeshift centre-back pairing of Ben Dexter and Ben Stanbrook endured a torrid time against Joyce and his abilities.

The first goal came on eight minutes when Joyce shook off Dexter’s challenge to take possession of a pass up the middle. Despite the attentions of Adam Carrick he managed to round keeper Mike Weatherall and slot the ball home from a tight angle.

On 15 minutes Alresford had the ball in the net, Rian Jima-Otero heading in from John Mulhern’s cross. But the assistant referee spotted an infringement, and the goal was disallowed.

On 23 minutes Joyce again ran through the middle, got on the wrong side of Stanbrook, and slotted past the advancing Weatherall.

Shortly after that Alresford had a golden opportunity to get back into the game when Simon Everett’s drive from distance struck the arm of Jake Long. But Callum Maher dived to divert Brian Howard’s penalty around the post.

The pattern continued after the break. On 55 minutes Ryan Long nodded the ball on to the rampaging Joyce, who was given too much space by the Magpies’ defence and needed no second invitation to complete his hat-trick.

That put paid to any hopes Alresford had of getting anything out of the game. Both sides made three substitutions, but the Badgers tightened their grip and looked more likely to extend their lead than the Magpies did to reduce it.

So Brockenhurst go forward to the last 16 of the League Cup. But there’s no let-up for Alresford, who face second-placed Andover in the league on Tuesday night in an attempt to pick up their first league points since early September.