Haughmond bag nine goals in Bilston Town thrashing

Steve Hole scored a remarkable five goals – all in the first half – as the West Midlands Premier table-toppers passed 100 goals for the season with 11 games still remaining in the campaign.

With manager Matt Burton away, Steve Biggins again stepped into the hot seat and made his record two wins from two matches, with 14 goals scored.

The remarkable result came despite a run of recent good form from 10th-placed Bilston.

But ruthless Haughmond destroyed their opponents with a breathtaking opening period of attacking football.

The rout began in the sixth minute when Hole opened his account for the afternoon.

Within 15 minutes it was 3-0 with Hole doubling the lead and then Wolves loanee Sam Phillips finding the net.

Hole then completed his hat-trick before adding two more in quick succession. And then a second goal from Phillips made it 7-0 with just 35 minutes gone.

Bilston somehow stemmed the tide to go 10 minutes without conceding another before the break.

And they managed to keep the score at 7-0 until late in the game when Adam Davies and then a rare Sean Jones header completed the rout and made it 9-0 to Haughmond.

Hole's five goals took his tally to 29 for the season. In the absence of Dave Howarth he is the team's leading marksman for the season.

Despite not getting on the scoresheet, Kev Renshaw also impressed, playing a role in a number of goals.

Next up for Haughmond – who have won 16 of their 17 home games this season – is a trip to near neighbours Bridgnorth.

Elsewhere, sixth-placed Ellesmere Rangers lost 3-1 at home to Wolverhampton Sporting Community – the team trying to catch Haughmond.

Sporting are 10 points behind the leaders and took an early lead through Dan Westwood's header, taking the prolific 25-year-old striker's tally to 102 goals in his past 73 appearances.

Ellesmere levelled things up through George Taylor on the stroke of half-time but succumbed to two second-half goals via a Chris Rabone penalty and a Dimitri Dunkley rebound.