Elston gained their biggest win of the season – and gave their best performance of the campaign so far – in a comprehensive victory away at Wollaton Reserves. In a first half display of relentless, incisive attacking, Elston scored six times, four of them coming from the boot and head of James Scott.

The goals started to flow as early as the second minute. Sam Lloyd won the ball in midfield, found Harry Johnson on the right side, who crossed for Scott to open the scoring. Six minutes later, it was Johnson’s turn to get on the scoresheet when his cross with the outside of his right boot evaded both attackers and defenders before curling into the far corner of the net beyond the stranded Wollaton keeper.

Elston continued to dominate possession and opportunities and in the 20th minute scored their third goal. After Lloyd again won the ball in midfield, Johnson brilliantly turned away from his marker before racing down the right wing and finding Barney Repper on the right-hand side of the area. Repper then produced a superb volleyed cross which was clinically volleyed home by Scott from six yards.

Scott grabbed his hat-trick in the 30th minute, with a firm strike into the corner following a strong run by Repper and scored his fourth just two minutes later when he headed home Lloyd’s free kick. Just before half-time, Elston made it 6-0 when Lloyd – who else? – yet again won the ball in midfield. Dribbling forward, he combined with Scott on the edge of the box, went past two Wollaton defenders with a feint of the hips and calmly slotted the ball past the keeper into the far corner with his left foot.

By half-time the Wollaton players looked understandably shell-shocked, and their mood was not made any better early in the second half when Scott found James Clarke in the box to add Elston’s seventh goal. To Wollaton’s credit, however, the hosts then worked extremely hard to win more of the ball and to put more pressure on Elston. For the next 20 minutes Wollaton were the more progressive team and deservedly grabbed a goal of their own after 54 minutes.

A series of Elston substitutions gave the visitors more energy and, after several chances had come and gone, Teddy Furman made it 8-1 with a beautiful low curling drive into the far corner after 76 minutes. A few minutes later, Elston’s best move of the match saw Rui Thacker cross first-time into the box. Although Furman met the ball brilliantly, his side-footed finish cannoned off the bar to safety.

The victory maintained Elston’s unbeaten start to the league season and moved The Clams up to second place in the league, two points behind the leaders, Gedling Southbank, but with a game in hand.

Elston United: Sam Adcock, James Smith, Toby Craven, Dan Thurman (Elliott Burrell 45), Xander Millar, Sam Lloyd, Barney Repper (Curtis French 60), Harry Johnson, James Scott (Sean Edwards 75), Will Veys (Teddy Furman), James Clarke (Rui Thacker 67).