Evo-Stik Southern League West
Taunton Town 9, Slimbridge 0

TAUNTON Town brought up a century of league goals and points by slaughtering Slimbridge at the Viridor Stadium on Tuesday night, while also extending their unbeaten league run to 33 games.

After an uncertain period in the first half, a Jack Twyman own goal opened the floodgates, as Matt Wright helped himself to a hat-trick, and Dan Sullivan (2), Joel Randall, Shane White and Ben Adelsbury all got themselves on the scoresheet.

There was a welcome return for Brett Trowbridge, last season's captain named on the bench after an eye socket injury, while White moved to right wing-back in the absence of both Pierce Mitchell and Nuno Felix.

The hosts started well, but for all their early endeavour they were almost behind six minutes in, as Slimbridge counter-attacked, Marley Thomas cut inside and his shot came back of Lloyd Irish's right-hand post.

Wright headed wide from a White corner at the other end, before an injury to Ollie Chamberlain - Matt Buse coming on - disrupted the Peacocks' flow.

They were indebted to Irish for a smart save from Jamie Martin on 25 minutes, but the home side then went up the other end and took the lead.

Wing-back Randall was starting to cause Slimbridge real headaches with his pace down the left flank, and his low cross was turned into the net by Twyman for an own goal.

It was 2-0 on the half-hour, as White headed in from Ryan Brett's corner, but the whistle had already gone for a push by Kieran Squires.

Sullivan's spot-kick was down the middle and saved by Ollie Hall, but the Taunton striker nipped in to tuck away the rebound.

Randall was causing chaos now, and after he'd seen a shot go over and a low cross almost prompt another own goal, he made it 3-0 on 41 minutes.

He curled a hopeful shot at goal, and keeper Hall allowed it to squirm off his midriff, over his shoulder and in.

It was 4-0 just two minutes later, as Sullivan headed Buse's cross against the bar and Wright dived to convert, and Taunton carried that lead into half time.

Not that it was a four-goal lead for much longer, as White headed in Brett's cross on 47 minutes to bring up 100 league goals for the Peacocks.

And it was six just two minutes after that, the avalanche of goals continuing as Adelsbury curled a fine free-kick into the bottom corner, to the left of a statuesque Hall, from 20 yards out. 

The hosts were showing no mercy, raining attack after attack down on Slimbridge, and Wright had his second in the 54th minute, rising to head in White's cross from the right.

A flurry of substitutions around the hour mark disrupted the flow of the game, but there was no let-up from Town, with skipper Wright urging his team-mates not to let their standards drop.

Substitute Alpha Sow dragged a shot wide and Wright had a header cleared off the line, while at the other end Edjidja Mbunga got in behind the home rearguard, only to lift his effort over the bar.

There was no addition to the scoreline until the 81st minute, when Sow's physical presence unsettled the defence under a bouncing ball, and Sullivan thundered the ball into the centre of the goal from the edge of the box.

Trowbridge received a warm reception as he came on for the final five minutes, and Wright secured his second hat-trick in three games by outmuscling his marker to reach the ball and lob the oncoming keeper - the Peacocks on cloud nine on 87 minutes.

The emphatic victory saw champions Taunton extend their undefeated league run to 33 games - and a win or draw at Cinderford Town on Saturday (ko 3pm) will mean they end the season without an away loss all season.

Taunton Town: Lloyd Irish, Shane White, Joel Randall, Ben Adelsbury (Alpha Sow 62), Josh Nelmes, Toby Down, Ollie Chamberlain (Matt Buse 15), Ryan Brett (Brett Trowbridge 85), Matt Wright (c), Dan Sullivan, Les Afful.
Substitute not used: Craig Veal.
Attendance: 301