Danny Lane celebrates return to Paulsgrove with hat-trick in 10th successive Hampshire Premier League win against Liss

The striker struck a hat-trick as Grove lifted the curtain on their Hampshire Premier League season with a 5-1 home win over Liss Athletic.

It was the club’s 10th successive HPL Premier Division victory over Liss, a run stretching back to the end of the 2015/16 season.

Alex Miroy put Grove in front before Lane doubled the lead before half-time.

Brandon Jewell brought Liss back into contention four minutes into the second half, but Lane completed his treble with goals in the 70th and 76th minutes.

New signing Zac Willett added a fifth eight minutes from time.

Lane was Grove’s second top scorer when they won the HPL title in 2017/18, firing 25 goals in only 23 appearances after an early-season move from Hayling.

The following season, 2018/19, he netted 35 times for the club in league and cup action.

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Mark Barker was in seventh heaven as the deadliest striker in recent HPL history started the new season in style tonight.

The Bush Hill striker belted seven goals - including a hat-trick inside the opening 18 minutes - in a 12-0 Premier Division thrashing of Chamberlayne Athletic.

That took his Bush tally to a remarkable 113 in only 57 league and cup starts, plus five sub appearances, since the start of the 2017/18 season.

No fewer than 62 of those goals came in 32 appearances in 2018/19 - including seven goals in one game against Hayling - while last season he netted 30 times in only 21 outings.

Four of those goals were in a 4-1 home win over Chamberlayne!

Callum Drake, Perry Harding, Sean Haines, Nathan Gray and Noel McCarthy-Gardiner were also on target, with Bush leading 7-0 at the interval.

Other scores: Lyndhurst 0 Sway 2, Winchester Castle 2 Overton 0, Colden Common 2 Stockbridge 1.

Division 1: AFC Netley 3 Michelmersh 0, AFC Petersfield 1 Headley 5, Andover NS Swifts 2 Clarendon 1, Silchester 4 Kingsclere 0, South Wonston 0 Broughton 6.