Didcot Tn 5 (Roach 16, 66, 68 Powell 45, Osborne-Ricketts 87)

Taunton Tn 0

Neville Roach netted his first hat-trick in Didcot Town colours as they cruised to victory over ten-man Taunton in Division 1 South & West on Saturday.

This win moved Didcot into a play-off position, while Taunton, even at this early stage, now look embroiled in a relegation battle.

The Railwaymen were good throughout this encounter with bright attacking football against a side that looked content to try and soak up the pressure and score on the break.

Taunton player-manager Ian Jones, much the busier keeper on-show, was grateful to collect Paul Powell’s deflected free-kick in the second minute.

Didcot’s Matty Jack then missed the first of a number of tricky chances when he volleyed well wide in the home side’s next attack.

In a rare attack at the other end, Danny Lane missed a good chance after Didcot’s Simeon Howell had been robbed of possession.

The result never really looked in doubt after the home side took a 16th minute lead.

Roach charged down a clearance from Scott Thomas and with only Jones to beat he fired low into the bottom corner of the net.

Michael Bartley almost made it 2-0 moments later, but Jones pulled off a good save to deny the Didcot striker.

Midway through the first half, Howell was unlucky not to score when his 20 yard short thumped the bar with Jones well-beaten.

Andy Williams and Martin Brown both headed corners from Jack King narrowly over before Didcot doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time.

Bartley once again did well to hold-up the ball and his lay-off was thumped home via the underside of the bar by Paul Powell.

The game continued in a similar vein after the break with the home side applying all the pressure.

Roach saw a good header comfortably saved by Jones and Jack once again volleyed over when well- placed.

A difficult situation for Taunton was made considerably worse when centre-back Thomas received his second yellow card for a rash challenge on Bartley.

And it didn’t take the home side too long to make their numerical advantage count.

A super through-ball from Jack found Roach in acres of space and he cleverly chipped the ball home from 15 yards.

Roach then claimed his first Didcot hat-trick with a near identical goal two minutes later.

Again a pin-point through-ball found Roach clear with only Jones to beat and this time he coolly lifted the ball over the on-rushing keeper and into the corner of the net.

Taunton should have pulled one back when substitute Rob Sage missed a sitter from close-range.

However the goal of the game, Didcot’s fifth, was yet to come.

With three minutes left Elliott Osborne-Ricketts shifted the ball across the edge of the Taunton penalty area before firing an unstoppable left foot shot which flew in-off the far post.

Didcot Tn: Watkins, Heapy, Jack (Hepburn 68), Williams, Brown, Howell (Mortimer-Jones 53), Osborne-Ricketts, King, Bartley, Roach, Powell.

Att: 226