March Town's lethal strikers do the business as Long Buckby hit for five
March Town 5, Long Buckby 0
United Counties League Premier Division South
It was all about March's prolific strikers this afternoon as Craig Gillies netted four times and Jack Friend hit his 100th goal in a Hares shirt.
Gillies' goals made it six in two games for him, 10 for the season and 89 in 133 matches for the Hares, while sharp shooter Friend's century came in just 125 appearances.
And it could have been more as the home side dominated against opposition who played five at the back and had come to Cambridgeshire to hit the home side on the break.
March are up to third in the table, with seven wins from 10 games, and now manager Ash Taylor (read his post-match interview here) has a full squad at his disposal, I fully expect them to be in the top six for the rest of the season.
After a cagey start, where Buckby played some good football and looked far from a side fourth from the bottom, March took control after half an hour. Friend was kept out well by home keeper John Meadows when one-on-one and then right back Josh Burrows fired just wide.
The first goal came after 39 minute when midfielder Sam Green did really well to keep the ball in on the right and his cross was acrobatically volleyed home by Gillies.
Four minute later and it was two when Friend netted the rebound from his own saved penalty after he was brought down in the box.
Any hopes the visitors had of a comeback were snuffed out four minutes into the second half when Friend's corner caused havoc in the visiting defence and Gillies drove home his second from close range.
And it was 4-0 on the hour when the hard-working Jack Saunders was pulled back in the box and Gillies made no mistake from the penalty spot to claim his hat-trick.
The fifth and final goal came 15 minutes from time when Friend ran across the box and picked out strike partner Gillies who span and drove home low.
A comfortable win for March and, in truth, they could have had a couple more goals and probably should have had at least one more penalty.
March Town (4,4,2, r-l): Gill; Burrows, King (Callaghan 75 mins), Emmington, Brumby; Green (McQuaid 66), Murphy (Romanos 75), Saunders, Cavozzi (Conyard 67); Gillies (Matthews 80), Friend.
Long Buckby: Meadows, Pursey, Alhassan, Tsinonis, Vineall, Awoleke, Taylor, Newell-Hollely, Dench, Gbejuade, Ulker. Subs: Rait, Channell, Anaming, Waple-Moors, Muya.
Star man: Craig Gillies - after a disrupted start to the season the big man is now firing on all cylinders and was March's best player for a third game on the bounce.
Attendance: 222.
