Five-star Gosport Borough cruise to crushing victory over Merthyr to move up to second in Southern League Premier South standings

Theo Lewis fired Boro ahead inside 11 minutes before Mason Walsh added a second with his first goal for the club just before the half-hour mark.

Dan Wooden got in on the act after the restart finishing off a fine move, with substitute Nick Dembele striking before Luke Hallett headed home with the last action to take Boro up a place above Hayes & Yeading, who were in FA Trophy action, and behind only table-toppers Farnborough having won 10 of their opening 15 league matches.

Former Hawks midfielder Bedsente Gomis was handed his Boro as one of four changes from the side which beat Beaconsfield last time out. Harvey Rew, Luke Hallett and Matt Casey all came in for suspended duo Rory Williams, Ryan Woodford while Josh Huggins and the departed Theo Widdrington were the other changes.

After a superb Remember Service ceremony put on pre-match by Boro and kick-off coming 15 minutes later than anticipated with Merthyr stuck in traffic travelling down, Gosport made a blistering beginning.

Goalkeeper Jaimie Cogman saved brilliantly down to his right to keep out Dan Wooden's effort after good work from Mason Walsh played the front man in after six minutes.

But the breakthrough arrived for the hosts five minutes later as Matt Briggs' scuffed shot from a corner found its way to Lewis, who slotted into the corner.

Boro then doubled their advantage with a fine breakaway move a minute before the half-hour mark. Dan Wooden's long ball was latched onto by Brad Tarbuck, he then clipped a clever pass to send Walsh away and he fired past Cogman.

Boro sprang into life after a quiet opening to the restart with a brilliant third goal. Full-back Harry Kavanagh started the move, firing up the line for Wooden who took the ball in his path, exchanged passes with Lewis, before curling in off the post on 63 minutes.

Gosport were nearly architects of their own downfall five minutes later as Albert White came racing out of his area, but substitute Thomas Hillman could only fire wide for the visitors from a tight angle having created very little all afternoon.

The hosts, looking to preserve their clean sheet, had another let-off in the final 10 minutes when Kerry Morgan somehow skewed wide from close range.

Substitute Dembele then got in on the act six minutes from time, latching onto a misplaced backpass, before firing past the stranded Cogman.

And Hallett headed home Walsh’s corner with the final action to wrap up Gosport’s emphatic victory.

Gosport: White; Kavanagh, Casey, Briggs, Rew, Hallett, Gomis, Tarbuck, Lewis, Walsh, Wooden. Subs: Dembele (Gomis, 66), Paterson (Tarbuck, 74), Wheeler (Lewis, 78), Grant, Lethbridge.