HAVING fluffed their lines in Dave Diaper’s 1000th match at the helm, Sholing ensured there were no hitches with his 1001st.

The Boatmen limbered up for this Saturday’s (3pm) FA Cup first qualifying round clash at home to Hamworthy United by battering ten-man Brockenhurst 5-0.

It leaves Diaper’s men three points clear at the Sydenhams Premier Division summit with four wins out of four, having scored 17 goals and conceded just two.

Deadly Dan Mason hit his second hat-trick of the season, taking him to 12 goals in eight games.

Lee Wort isn’t far behind with nine while Jake Hoole also added to the Boatmen’s impressive league and cup tally of 26 goals in August.

Brockenhurst would argue, however, that the 23rd-minute dismissal of Greg King changed everything.

The scoreline was still blank when Wort and King ran full pelt towards a free ball on the right wing and Wort came off worse as the two players went to ground.

Despite heated Brock protests, referee Jonathan Pike deemed King’s challenge to be worthy of a straight red - and it was a blow from which the Badgers never recovered.

Sholing, who had already been knocking the ball around well, took the lead on 34 minutes when Wort nodded TJ Cuthbertson’s cross past keeper Matt Taylor.

Before long Hoole had made it 2-0 and there was still time for the unmarked Mason to open his account by heading home Alex Sawyer’s cross just before the break.

Wort, still feeling the effects of the earlier challenge, made way for Billy Connor at half-time.

The second half was a more lowkey affair but Sholing burst to life again in the last ten minutes as Mason struck twice more.

First he poked the ball through the keeper’s legs after another fine overlapping run and cross by Cuthbertson and then, just two minutes later, young Brad Targett set him up for his hat-trick.

Sholing have played all eight league and cup games away from home in August but, with the cricket season now over, they can look forward to a run of games at the Universal Stadium.

That starts on Saturday against league rivals Hamworthy, who have already dumped Southern League outfit AFC Totton out of the FA Cup.

Neighbours Hamble Club sit sixth in the Premier pecking order following a 2-1 home win over Shaftesbury – John Cole and Nathan Lynch the scorers.

Newly-promoted Andover New Street have yet to bank their first point.

The north Hampshire club were trounced 5-0 at Horndean – Harry Jackson scoring four and Alfie Lis one.

Street lost goalkeeper George Baxter to a serious head injury during the game.

He was taken to hospital and Andover NS were happy to report later that evening: “Some good news. George is now out of his induced coma and sitting up in hospital with his family