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Scott Smith - 6th hat-trick of the season

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Scorers: Smith 16, 64, 70; Fooks 30, 34; Gunn 35; Thompson 54

Playing at the unfamiliar surroundings of Haskells Rec, Borough could afford to overcome a nervy start before cruising to victory against Okeford, although the visitors keeper kept the score in single figures this time with some great saves.

As early as the 2nd minute Scott Smith could have opened the scoring but he blazed a Ben Thompson cross over the bar and Paul Harding also went close with a drive from outside the area.

Okeford should have scored on 13 minutes, when their forward got behind the Borough defence but as he shaped to shoot, Winston Buckfield put in what appeared to be a superb tackle. The referee however saw it as a foul, but the resultant free kick was blasted against the wall.

Borough took the lead on 16 minutes when Alex Gunn got to the by-line and crossed low for Smith to tuck the ball inside the near post. Another questionable decision by the referee gave Borough a penalty 3 minutes later after Buckfield was tackled in the area, but Jamie Russell's spot kick was saved by the keeper.

On a foray forward, Pete Morrell put a shot just over the bar, but Okeford were still pressing for an equaliser, and he had to clear for a corner under pressure at the other end.

Okeford's keeper did well to save a shot from Smith after a neat interchange with Fooks on 27 minutes, but failed to hold a Paul Morrell shot 3 minutes later, and Alan Fooks was on hand to bundle the ball over the line.

Fooks was on target again on 34 minutes as he latched on to a long clearance from Pete Morrell on the left and dispatched an unstoppable shot from an acute angle, scoring Borough's 150th goal of the season.

Within another minute Borough made it 4, as Gunn sprung the offside trap, knocked the ball past the keeper, and was able to collect it himself before tapping it over the line.

Thompson and Fooks had further chances, the latter forcing the keeper to tip the ball over the bar.

HT 4-0

Borough dominated the second half, attacking in numbers as well as easily handling any attacks by Okeford. Paul Morrell was pushing forward looking for his 1st goal, and went close with a diving header from his brother's free kick.

It was Thompson who increased the score on 54 minutes after he collected the ball on the left, played a 1-2 with Harding, and shot past the keeper into the bottom right hand corner.

Fooks put 2 shots narrowly past the post, before Pete Morrell floated a right wing cross over the heads of the Okeford defence, to Smith in space who lobbed the ball over the keeper.

Despite continued goal attempts, which again brought the best from the Okeford keeper, Borough scored only once more, with Smith completing his hat-trick after latching onto a through ball, taking the ball past the keeper and converting from a tight angle.

Poole Borough : Dan Burton, Pete Morrell, Chris Morgan, Paul Morrell, Alex Gunn (Matthew Burton 77), Winston Buckfield, Paul Harding, Jamie Russell, Scott Smith, Alan Fooks, Ben Thompson (Lee Atkins 70). Unused Sub : Paul Arnold.