KEVIN James proved to be the hero for Lymington & New Milton, scoring a second half hat-trick for the New Foresters in their comfortable 5-0 win over Downton at Fawcetts Field.
The game got off to a perfect start for Ian Robinson's troops when they took the lead after just two minutes of the contest.
Trefor Smith delivered an excellent cross for Darren Crook to nod home for 1-0.
The visitors, who have been on the wrong end of some embarrassing scorelines already this season, were clearly looking to salvage what they could in a game where there was only going to be one outcome.
Consequently the Linnets, who had pressurised the Downton defence throughout the opening period, doubled their lead just before half time when Crook grabbed his second.
The second half began and it was only two minutes old when Kevin James notched his first of the night to make it 3-0, before he nabbed another with 25 minutes left.
Trefor Smith was then brought down inside the Downton penalty area and Kevin James stepped forward to score from the resultant spot kick for his third and the Linnets fifth.
Linnets: Watson, Carter, P.Smith, Towler, Curtis, T.Smith, Reacord
(Clothier), Egerton, Crook (Jackson), K.James, Thomson (Thomson).
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