With Crewkerne Town possessing both the best strike rate and defensive record in the division it came as no surprise that they beat their struggling landlords Misterton 10-0 in the Premier Division, writes Ian Hallett.

The winners’ top marksman was Liam Riste who moved on to 20 goals for the season by finding the net four times.

Not far behind was team mate Jamie Spurdle who hit a hat-trick, while the total was completed with singles from Adam Dawe, Dave John and Johnny Manley.

Town now have a five point lead and two games in hand over South Petherton who moved up to second after coming from behind to record a 5-2 success at Beaminster.

Goals by Josh Baker and Robin Jones had given the hosts a two-goal advantage inside the opening seven minutes, but strikes by Dean Smith and Richie Hebditch brought the scores level by the interval.

Pethy went on to claim maximum points and a seventh consecutive win with second half goals by Hebditch (2, including a penalty) and Danny Rendell.

Rob Condliffe bagged three goals for Lyme Regis reserves to help them move further clear of the relegation zone following a 6-1 triumph at Ilminster Town Colts.

Robbie Keylock netted a consolation for the Blue’s, but further goals from Pete Peacock and Brad Rowe earned Lyme their first league double of the season.

Division One Winsham United’s Shane Partridge stole the bragging rights for his club as he moved ahead of his manager Tom Stead in the goal scoring stakes by hitting United’s goal in a 1-1 draw at Millwey Rise. Mark Pike was on target for the hosts.

The only other match in the division saw Pymore improve their chances of survival by beating fellow strugglers Luso-Chard 5-3.

Tim Hussey and Adam Cody-Boucher hit two goals each in the Dorset side’s victory with Fred Parsons also finding the net.

Division Two Drimpton remain on course for promotion after hammering ten goals without reply at home to Charmouth.

Murray Legg and Chris Rowswell both struck hat-tricks in the rout, with the total being completed by Nick Murphy, Lee Banks, Terry Farrell and an unlucky opponent.

Thorncombe’s hopes of moving up a division suffered a set-back as they were held to a goal-less draw at Combe A, although their cause was helped when fellow high flyers Waytown Hounds went down by the odd goal in three at home to Uplyme.

New signing Cameron Vere opened the Uplyme scoring and Jon Davies put them further ahead soon after the break.

Tom Knott reduced the arrears midway through the second half and Hounds were unlucky not to get a share of the spoils when their keeper Lee Cuff moved up in the dying seconds and headed a corner kick taken by Jon Legg against the bar.

Another team in the four horse race for promotion are Crewkerne Town reserves. And they had to thank Paul Gold for the three goals that brought a 3-0 success against visitors Ilminster Town A.

Division Three Jimmy Rees hit four goals for South Petherton reserves, but he still ended on the losing side as they were beaten in a nine goal thriller at home to Barrington reserves.

Wes King and Simon Lock struck two goals apiece for the winners who also had Jake Woodard getting his name on the scoresheet.

Jake Russell, Shane Reeks and a late goal by Jack Bateman saw Kingsbury return to winning ways by beating Dowlish & Donyatt 3-2. Matt Vinall and Andy North replied for the losers.

The winners stay four points adrift of leaders Chard United reserves who inflicted a 4-0 defeat on Merriott Dynamos.

Lee Hames and Liam Male had given United a two-goal lead at the halfway stage and two own goals after the break completed the victory.

Winners boss Steve Scriven said: “I have never seen our players miss so many chances in a game.

“I am not saying we looked like losing, but if we had lost I would have been furious as we should have won by double figures.”

Hawkchurch have games in hand on the three sides above them and on present form look likely to overhaul some of these to snatch a top-three spot.

On Saturday they extended their unbeaten run to five with a 4-1 win at near neighbours Thorncombe reserves.

Two goals from Luke Harding put the Hawks on the way to a victory that was completed with a goal each from Andy Dymond and Josh Short. Stuart Packer replied for the hosts.

Division Four Merriott Rovers go marching on at the top of the division and look certainties to claim the title at a canter after extending their winning run to 17 with a 7-1 trouncing of second placed Combe B.

After scoring in all 16 of those previous games, Ashley Cooper added another two goals to his already impressive tally.

Josh Thomason also added a brace while Kev Richardson, Mark Tweedie and Sam Rowswell completed the winners’ scoring with Graham Cleal getting Combe’s consolation.

The match between Crewkerne Rangers reserves and their counterparts from Drimpton ended all-square at three goals each.

George Tuck, Dan Legg and Mark Pearce were Drimpton’s scorers, while a Steve Bryant double and Scott Isaacs effort restored parity for Rangers.

Chard United All Stars appear destined to end the season in the wooden spoon position following a 4-2 home defeat by local rivals Chard Rangers reserves.

An own goal put Rangers on the way to victory and the lead was extended by Kev Cavanagh before Ryan Hammett reduced the arrears before half time.

Matt Gaylard and George Best struck second half goals to bring the visitors their fifth win of the season. Ryan Ebdon was the losers other scorer.

In the all-Devon encounter, Hakim Bibb netted a consolation for Uplyme reserves in a 7-1 defeat by Farway United reserves.

Somerset Intermediate Cup An excellent all-round performance saw Barrington move into the semi-finals by beating Weston-Super-Mare league side Westend 6-2.

The opening exchanges were evenly contested, but Barrington got the breakthrough midway through the first period when they were awarded a penalty and Andy Whitefield made no mistake from the spot.

Sam Spurway increased the advantage before Westend pulled a goal back, but Spurway regained the two goal lead on the stroke of half time.

In the second half, despite conceding another goal, Barrington underlined their superiority with further strikes by Whitefield (penalty), Guy Dare and James Thompson.

The winners will now travel to play another Weston-Super-Mare league side, Locking Park, in the penultimate round of the competition.

Leading scorers: Premier Division – 30 Jamie Spurdle (Crewkerne Town); 26 Dan Smith (Shepton Beauchamp); 24 Josh Hunter (Beaminster), 20 Richard Hebditch (South Petherton), Liam Riste (Crewkerne Town); 19 Mark Cawley (West & Middle Chinnock); 18 Adam Dawe (Crewkerne Town); 16 Steve Every (Combe Reserves); 15 Stuart Bicknell & Craig Every (Combe Reserves), Dan Peach (Shepton Beauchamp). Division One – 34 Andy Whitefield (Barrington); 23 Guy Dare (Barrington); 16 Sam Dibling (Millwey Rise); 15 Shane Partridge (Winsham United); Tom Perry (Barrington);14 Tom Stead (Winsham United), Andy Stevenson (Forton Rangers); 13 Stuart Packer (Chard United).

Division Two – 25 Terry Farrell (Drimpton); 20 Bryan Garrett (Thorncombe); 16 Paul Gold (Crewkerne Town Reserves); 15 Simon Denslow (Drimpton, includes 13 for Crewkerne Rangers), Warren Gabbidon (Thorncombe); 14 Lee Fisher (Thorncombe); 13 Jon Legg (Waytown Hounds).

Division Three – 26 Liam Male (Chard United Reserves); 17 Jamie Brown (Chard United Reserves), Andy Dymond (Hawkchurch); 16 Jimmy Rees (South Petherton Reserves); 15 Jake Russell (Kingsbury); 14 Luke Harding (Hawkchurch).

Division Four – 33 Ashley Cooper (Merriott Rovers); 16 Graham Cleale (Combe B); 14 Kenny Forbes (Hinton St George); 13 Ross Jewell (Hinton St George), Niall Waterhouse (Uplyme Reserves); 12 Kev Cavanagh (Chard Rangers Reserves), Aaron Hole (Crewkerne Rangers Reserves), Sam Rowswell & Danny Rudge (Merriott Rovers), Paul Stuart (Winsham United Reserves).