Dunmall hits hat-trick as Sports make it three on the spin

The premier division new boys returned with another three points following Saturday's resounding 5-1 victory on Saturday at high-flying Reading City where Jack Dunmall completed a hat-trick.

Sports had the points in the bag by half-time having established a 4-0 interval lead. Although City got on the score sheet immediately after the restart they could not find a way back into the game as Sports produced an impressive performance.

Alfie Grant headed over from an early corner before Sports broke the deadlock in the fifth minute when Piers Wolton's low cross was turned in at the near post by Dunmall.

Charlie York saved Ryan Markham's snap-shot as Sports began to get on top. Joe Cowlishaw and Markham took control in the centre of midfield while Thorne began to pose problems with his pace on the flank, and he burst into the box and was sent tumbling but his penalty appeals were waved away.

Sports doubled their lead in the 19th minute when Thorne's corner was headed goalwards by Josh Rose with central defender Grant only managing to help the ball over the stranded York. Sports struck again two minutes later when Thorne found Dunmall just inside the box and his angled drive beat the advancing York before finding the back of the net via the far upright.

Despite being 3-0 down, City enjoyed their best spell of the first half but could not unlock a well organised Sports defence, having to resort to long balls which came to nothing. Kai Stubbs-Alleyne headed over but Adam Rimmer didn't have a shot to save in the first half.

It got even better for Sports when Wolton headed home Thorne's corner in first half stoppage-time to all but end the contest by half-time.

City reduced the arrears two minutes after the restart when Bradley Cox was adjudged to have impeded Grant in the box from a free-kick. Cox was sent to the sin-bin and Adam Cashin-Murray sent Rimmer the wrong way from the ensuing spot-kick.

Sports were forced to reorganise with Tom Smith moving into central defence to partner Rose in Cox's absence. But Sports twice went close to restoring their four-goal advantage while they were missing Cox.

A quick break saw Wolton and Dunmall combine to set up Thorne who fired just past the far post. Another counter-attack saw Wolton evade the advancing York but could only find the side-netting from the angle of the box.

Rimmer comfortably saved Stubbs-Alleyne's free-kick as City looked for a way back into the game but it was Sports who always looked the more likely to score again with their quick counter-attacking football.

City's cause wasn't helped by a second caution for Dan Davies midway through the second half and any hopes they had of mounting a comeback went with him.

Markham's low drive was saved by York following another neat build-up and the midfielder went close again when he headed over a corner from Wolton who then fired over from 25 yards. Markham was off target with another header from Cowlishaw's free-kick and substitute Luke Swann released Dunmall who was denied by York late on as Sports finished the game on top.

With five minutes left, Coleman released Swann who pulled the ball back for Dunmall to fire into the roof of the net from ten yards and put the icing on the cake.