Zack Willett maintains astonishing Horndean goal record with hat-trick in Wessex League thrashing of Bournemouth Poppies

Willett belted a hat-trick in an 8-0 thrashing of relegation-threatened Bouremouth Poppies at Five Heads Park last night.

The game was over by half-time with the Deans 4-0 up, with Connor Duffin having also missed a penalty.

Poppies were staring down the barrel of a humiliation when they conceded twice in the opening five minutes of the second half.

Willett completed the rout with the last two goals, taking his seasonal Wessex tally to 27 - only AFC Portchester’s Brett Pitman (33) has scored more Premier goals this term.

In all competitions, Willett has now reached the 30-goal milestone for the second season running.

Since stepping up from the Hampshire Premier League, the pacy forward has struck 62 Wessex Premier goals in only 60 starts plus one off the bench. In all competitions, he now has 68 goals in 68 starts, plus two as a sub.

‘Zack has done unbelievably well, he’s really maturing,’ praised Deans boss Michael Birmingham as his side moved to within six points of Portchester and still with a game in hand.

Horndean’s April 8 visit to Portchy is taking on ever more significance as a fascinating promotion race develops.

Duffin and Harry Jackson both scored twice against a Poppies side who last tasted a Wessex win in September.

Centre half Luke Dempsey had started the goal spree on 20 minutes, after going up for a set piece.

‘Duffers took his two goals extremely well,’ said Birmingham. ‘We saw a bit of the Connor Duffin of old - as we did on Saturday (5-3 win at Shaftesbury).

‘He was very powerful - his second goal was a 50/50 with the keeper where he just showed more desire.’

Duffin, though, will now be relieved of penalty-taking duties after missing a handful of spot-kicks this term.

Horndean’s next game is a trip to the Isle of Wight to face Cowes Sports, a team they have enjoyed playing in recent times.

The Deans have won 9-0, 4-0 and 8-0 in their last three Wessex fixtures against the Yachtsmen - with Willett scoring a hat-trick on all three occasions!

Elsewhere in the Premier last night, fourth-placed Bemerton thrashed Pagham 6-0. As a result, they are now the leading scorers in the division with 83 goals - two more than Portchester.

Following last night’s thrashing, Poppies have now lost 10 successive league games. And next up is a daunting home game with Portchester…