Great Harwood Town 5 Alfreton Town 1

A BRILLIANT five-star show inspired by hat-trick hero Martin Horsfield helped Harwood claw their way out of the bottom two in the UniBond League First Division.

Rock-bottom Alfreton were simply no match for the rampant Reds who could have won even more convincingly after surging into a 2-0 lead inside the opening 10 minutes of this basement battle.

Denis Underwood's men were simply irresistible and now have a real chance of beating the drop after picking up their seventh win in 11 matches.

Harwood took the game by the scruff of the neck, racing into a sixth minute lead.

Horsfield crossed, Neil Baron got in a header, and Warren Peake fired past the keeper.

Four minutes later it was 2-0 as the home side threatened to run riot.

Mark Walsh got to the by-line and centred for Horsfield who blasted a shot past the keeper from the edge of the box.

Baron shot wide, Graeme Lightbown fired over from a free kick and keeper Richard Harrison tipped a fierce effort from Peake over the bar.

In between, the visitors mounted their first serious attack but Leon Wainman dragged his shot disappointingly wide. But Harrison made further saves from Horsfield, Walsh and Lightbown before the visitors pulled one back completely out of the blue on the stroke of half time.

Steve Pickup failed to clear the danger in a rare Alfreton attack and Mark Hopkinson prodded the ball home from close range in the resulting melee.

Horsfield, Lightbown and Peake (twice) all spurned golden opportunities after the break.

But Harwood did make it 3-1 on 64 minutes when Walsh broke through and squared for Lightbown to hammer home.

A reckless challenge by Andy Glenstone on Horsfield resulted in a red card and the Harwood striker then picked himself up to score from the spot.

And he completed a brilliant hat-trick five minutes from time with a superb lob from outside the box.

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