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A second consecutive 6-0 away win was achieved at Gillingham's impressive set-up on a muggy afternoon and history was made again today, this time James Russell recorded the first hat-trick in a competitive match for Borough .

The first half followed a very similar pattern to the Blandford encounter, except it took 24 minutes to score 3 goals instead of 17. Russell converted the first with great ease from a free-kick after before the rampaging Ben Thompson took over with a brace on 22 and 24 minutes.

Gillingham's keeper was playing in goal for the first time and after several mistakes early on went on to make a collection of excellent saves.

HT - 3-0

Gillingham caused several problems in the second half and certainly kept going, but Borough always held the upper hand in areas of the pitch where it mattered. Dan Burton was also called on to make some fine saves and excelled with impressive punching and handling at corners and good distribution.

On 50 mins Scott Smith was brought down in the area, and Russell stepped up to slot in the resulting penalty.

Borough did endure a sticky 15-20 minute spell where several passes went astray and were lucky not to concede a goal. Finally they snapped out of their uncertainty and Russell completed his hat-trick on 72 mins, finishing a mazy run with a thumping drive. A minute later Borough clocked up goal number 6, courtesy of a cool Alan Fooks finish after he was set free by David Holdroyd's long pass.

Substitute Graham Freeman saw his rasping drive brilliantly tipped against the post, while several other attempts flew narrowly wide. Ron Denty was denied a goal by another good save, before an amazing Winston Buckfield run took him past at least 5 players only to balloon the ball into the trees behind the goal.

Poole Borough: Burton, Denty, Whitfield, Pete Morrell, Paul Morrell, Buckfield, Holdroyd, Russell , Smith, Alan Fooks, Thompson . Used subs : Atkins, Bancroft & Freeman