Holcombe made it 22 goals scored in their last two matches as Barry Middleton’s side thrashed out-of-form Beeston 10-0 on Saturday evening.

Fresh from scoring 12 against the University of Nottingham last weekend, Holcombe got off to a flyer with three goals in the first eight minutes from Nick Bandurak, Phil Roper and Tom Russell.

By Lucas Ball

Roper, Alex Pendle and Rob Field added to the score before half-time to give the hosts a six-goal lead before Russell added two more for a hat-trick in the second half, alongside another goal from Bandurak and one from Sam Taylor.

Victory secures Holcombe’s top-six spot for Phase Two.

Beeston have now conceded 35 goals in their last four matches and Holcombe were the clear favourites heading into the game. A blistering start soon removed any jeopardy from the match, the away side stunned and unable to get back into the game, rarely threatening following that early Holcombe flurry, despite forcing Ollie Payne into action inside the first minute.

Bandurak fired over just a minute later before scoring superbly. He brilliantly controlled a Taylor aerial into the circle, before lifting over the onrushing Taylor Craigie.

Roper saw a goal disallowed controversially soon after, the umpire ruling that he was outside the circle but there was no doubting his strike two minutes later. Middleton brilliantly tackled high up the pitch before finding Bandurak who played in Roper, the Great Britain forward hitting powerfully across goal into the far corner.

Hayden Phillips forced a good save from the ‘keeper in the build-up to the third goal for Holcombe, Rhodri Furlong eventually picking the ball up on the edge of the circle, pushing into a dangerous area for Russell to deflect home.

A slick move fed the ball to Roper in space early in the second quarter, the former Wimbledon man making no mistake as he fired in on the reverse clinically before another excellent move, this time down the right-hand-side, saw Middleton feed Russell, the latter squaring for Alex Pendle to score his fifth goal in four matches.

A penalty corner led to Holcombe’s sixth as Field drag-flicked past Craigie to make it six before half-time.

Russell deflected in from Bandurak’s hit midway through the third quarter to extend Holcombe’s advantage, before Bandurak scored his 16th of the season two minutes later.

Russell completed his hat-trick before the end of the third quarter, sliding to slap home from Field’s pass across goal after a fast counter-attack.

Bandurak saw a drag-flick saved around five minutes into the final period, with Taylor picking up the rebound to score his third goal of the season.

Holcombe are at home again on Saturday as part of another double-header, the women in action against Kent rivals Canterbury at 2pm before Middleton’s side take on 10th-placed Cardiff & Met at 6pm.

Holcombe Women extended their unbeaten run to five matches in all competitions with Saturday’s 4-4 home draw against Vitality Division One South strugglers Team Bath Buccaneers.

The hosts, on a four-game winning streak heading into this match, took an early lead through New Zealand international Deanna Ritchie but were quickly pegged back twice by the visitors before Ritchie equalised close to the end of the first quarter.

Australian Jade van der Zwan re-established the advantage for Nick Bandurak’s side with her first Holcombe goal early in the second half before two more quick fire Bath goals gave them the lead heading into the final period.

Phoebe Steele levelled from a penalty corner with just over 15 minutes to play but, despite Holcombe’s pressure, they were unable to find a winner and are now five points behind league leaders Surbiton 2s.

Entry is free at Holcombe Park to watch both matches this Saturday.