Eccleshill United 6

Maltby Main 2

Ian Twitchen returned from suspension and picked up a hat-trick for Eccleshill United - his second in successive games.

That helped United to a second victory over Maltby Main in the space of four days in the Northern Counties East Premier Division.

Twitchen had missed Saturday's 2-1 win at the Rotherham club because of a one-week ban.

But the striker took just eight minutes to announce his return to action, pouncing on a loose ball after Ben Hardy's shot had been parried by the visitors' keeper.

Hardy lashed in an unstoppable shot to make it 2-0 on the quarter hour.

Maltby hit back through Nathan McHale but United went into the break with a two -goal cushion after Damien McKenzie drilled in a shot just after the half hour.

Twitchen added the fourth in the 54th minute and Jamie Buchan netted ten minutes later with a stunning volley after a corner had been headed out by the overworked Maltby defence. Four minutes from time, Twitchen made it 6-1.

There was still time for Maltby's Scott Beasley to cut the deficit but his strike in the penultimate minute was scant consolation for the visitors as United completed their rapid double. "We have threatened to take someone apart this season and this was it," said delighted United boss Ray Price.

"Credit to both sides, the pitch was very heavy and boggy but they produced some good football.

"Jamie Buchan's effort was a goal of the season job, the type that you see on Match of the Day and the experts rave about for weeks."