Salisbury 6 Alresford Town 0: THERE was no disguising the gulf in class as early-season leaders Salisbury brushed aside the Magpies with aplomb in front of a crowd of 676 – the highest number ever to have watched an Alresford league match.

The hosts took the lead on 23 minutes when a diagonal ball from midfield found Dan Demkiv free approaching the right corner of the box. He took the ball in his stride and slotted it confidently beneath the diving John Howard.

Two minutes later Salisbury doubled their lead. This time there was a tinge of fortune about the goal; Demkiv’s shot took a big deflection, John Howard could only parry the ball, and Tom Whelan pounced on the rebound.

A 32nd-minute move featuring Demkiv and George Colson was finished off by Sam Wilson, who swept the ball home from just inside the box. A fourth goal followed on 36 minutes, Danny Young planting a thumping header into the net from Demkiv’s cross.

Alresford came within inches of pulling a goal back five minutes before the break when Jamie Bentley headed onto the crossbar from Sam Carter’s free kick.

Wilson scored his second on 49 minutes to put the hosts 5-0 up. The striker seized on the ball after Adam Carrick had tried to head it away, and swivelled to fire home from a tight angle.

The Magpies hit the crossbar a second time on 61 minutes with a Brian Howard curler, but on 78 minutes Wilson made it 6-0 and completed his hat-trick with a penalty kick after the referee had spotted some pulling in the penalty area.