RETURNING striker Lee Wort is up to his old goal-scoring tricks for Sholing.

Wort, back in the Boatmen’s ranks from Poole Town, netted his third in as many games in Saturday’s 4-0 Sydenhams Premier victory away at basement boys Verwood Town.

Sholing top gun Dan Mason almost scored in the third minute when he pounced on a defensive lapse, but dragged his shot just wide of the far post.

Mason then put another effort over following good work by Lee Wort before the game was held up for five minutes after Verwood’s Mike Snow had sustained a nasty gash kicking the bottom of Kev Brewster’s boot.

The breakthrough came on 33 minutes when Corey Cherrett’s long throw, which had repeatedly troubled the home defence, was flicked on by Byron Mason for Wort to convert from inside the six-yard box.

Verwood had barely drawn breath when Jamie Bulpitt latched onto a defensive clearance to smash home a rocket shot off the underside of the bar for 2-0.

The Boatmen quickly picked up where they had left off after the break when Zac Mouland, having just struck the post, was on hand to tap in Wort’s cross.

Brewster came desperately close to adding a fourth when his 20-yard free-kick was brilliantly tipped onto the underside of the bar by Potters’ keeper Gerrard Benfield before it bounced down onto the goalline and away.

Instead it was Dan Mason who wrapped things up with his 20th goal of the season.

Benfield took out both Mouland and his own defender Louis Coulson on the edge of the box, leaving Mason to roll the ball into an open net from 15 yards.

Sholing goalkeeper Ryan Gosney had been a virtual spectator for 79 minutes, but was finally called upon to tip Charlie Gilbert’s looping header over.

The Boatmen – away to Amesbury Town tomorrow (Tuesday, 7.45) - are up to third and trail league leaders Moneyfields by six points.

Verwood are marooned at the bottom on eight points – six adrift of Fawley AFC and Cowes Sports.

Fawley fell to their fifth straight league defeat at home to AFC Portchester on Saturday, sunk by a Tony Easter double for the Royals who have leapfrogged Team Solent into fifth.