MAX Grossmith scored four times as rampant Salisbury gave their goal difference a healthy boost when they thrashed rock bottom Gosport 8-2 at Bemerton.

They remain third in the Hampshire League table, two points behind unbeaten leaders Andover, who Salisbury visit in mid-December in their final match before the Christmas break, writes Mike Vimpany.

Salisbury demolished Gosport with a five-goal first half salvo – Max Grossmith celebrating a hat-trick, his second treble in two matches, before adding a fourth after the break.

The former Loughborough Student scored Salisbury’s opening two goals – both created by Damian Patterson – and completed his hat-trick after Rory McTaggart had got a third.

Tom Morton deflected the ball into his own goal to give the winless visitors a glimmer of hope, but the former Salisbury skipper atoned for his mishap by being at the heart of a neat passing movement with Nick Easterbrook which led to Alfie Jones making it 5-1 by the break.

Patterson got a well-earned sixth goal for Salisbury from a short corner before Grossman got the seventh.

Gosport clawed a second goal back from a penalty flick after a poor tackle by vice-captain Patterson which deservedly earned him a trip to the sin bin, but it was Andy Renshaw who surged forward to set up Hugo Lyons for an eighth goal for Salisbury, who visit mid-table Trojans II on Saturday at 1.15pm.