EAST CONFERENCE: Harleston Magpies Ladies made it six wins on the trot in style as they beat St Albans 6-0 at Weybread.

Magpies set the pace from the start, although it took them 22 minutes to score their first goal after two earlier efforts had been disallowed.

Emma Lee-Smith started off the scoring with a run along the backline to slip the ball past the keeper from a narrow angle. Lee-Smith picked up her second three minutes later after she was gifted a ball at the top of the circle and powered her shot home.

Sarah Brook made it 3-0 just before half-time after she beat several players to slot past the keeper.

Magpies continued to dominate in the second half with some excellent patterns of play right across the pitch and Emily Wilford picked up a well deserved hat-trick to double the lead. Her first goal came after slick build-up play from Katrina Warnes, Debbie Francis and Charlotte Harrison down the left.

Verity Blyth put Wilford through for her second on 49 minutes and Artemis Clark set her up for her hat-trick five minutes before the end.

This was another impressive performance from Magpies who continue to go from strength to strength. They remain fifth in the league but are only three points off second place so there is everything to play for in the final three matches.

Bottom side Dereham were far from disgraced as they lost 2-0 at home to league leaders Sevenoaks. They conceded early, with Cathy Gilliat-Smith on target, but then held the visitors until the 57th minute when Jet van Zalen added a second. Gilliat-Smith then missed a penalty stroke but Dereham were always in the game and continued to give Sevenoaks a decent run for their money.

In the Men's East Conference Harleston Magpies had a day to forget, losing 5-0 at third placed Old Loughtonians for whom Alex Jennings scored a hat-trick and Oliver Didham and James Stearman were also on target.