TEAM Solent are hitting their stride again after a stuttering start to the Sydenhams Premier Division campaign.

Boosted by a new intake of students, the Southampton Solent University side defied their lowly league standing with a 7-0 demolition job on Brockenhurst at Test Park.

Star of the show was former Brentwood Town striker Hisham Kasimu, a new first-year student who stunned the Badgers with a four-goal spree.

Also fresh in are Julian Stahler, a midfielder formerly with New York Red Bulls, and John Wallace, a right-back/midfielder who has come over to Southampton from Marbella.

Brockenhurst had looked the likelier to score in a scrappy start to Saturday’s game, but it was Kasimu who made the 23rd-minute breakthrough, racing onto a ball over the top and slotting it into the bottom corner.

Come half-time the pacy marksman had struck twice more – Brockenhurst’s best chance coming when Will Tickle, a former Solent player, hit the post.

Kasimu turned provider for the Students’ fourth, scored from inside the six-yard box by Tyrell Mitford, who has returned to the ranks from Gosport Borough.

It became 5-0 when Kasimu bagged his fourth of the afternoon and then Silvano Obeng got in the act with a diving header.

Brock were still not out of their misery with sub Steve Black making the most of a rebound that landed at his feet to send the Students into seventh heaven.

It was quite a result for a side that had banked just five points from their opening 13 games, but manager James Taylor – who filled in as goalkeeper on Saturday – said: “It (the poor start) was expected at the end of a three-year cycle with so many players leaving.

“We lost Jesse Waller-Lassen, Toby Adekunle and Pip Nolan, Ellis White (work) and Lewis Pitts (studies) aren’t playing at the moment and Matt Sheedy went to Brockenhurst.

“Getting Tyrell (Mitford) back is good. I was disappointed when he went, but he’s realised he’s better off with us.

“We’re not getting carried away with one result, but if we can get a consistent squad together we could go on a decent run.

“But it’s going to be hard to get into the top half this season because we’re 14 games behind and the top sides are paying so much money that they should be up where they are.

"Fortunately we haven't entered the FA Vase yet and we're still in the Southampton Senior Cup."