Sarah Louise Stacey helped sink Poole with a hat-trick (c) MiraclePR

Buckland Athletic picked up another valuable three points in a comfortable 5-1 victory over Poole Town on a sunny Sunday afternoon.

Top scorer Sarah Louise Stacey wasted little time in getting things going with an opening goal within the first ten minutes. Buckland continued to attack in a dominant first half with Stacey making it 2-0 on 27 minutes.

Poole were facing threats from all over the pitch and Abigail Meyer almost made it three when her fizzing shot from the right was tipped over the bar. But it was Laura Gough who found the net next after recent signing Jana Richards beat her marker on the left before squaring for Gough to place past the goalkeeper with four minutes of the first half remaining.

Stacey almost completed her hat-trick just before the break but headed just past the post from a Buckland free-kick.

The second half started with Buckland again on the front foot, Gough wide with an effort and Stacey just beaten to the ball by the goalkeeper as she went up for a header. But it was the visitors who scored next. Poole had already seen Abigail Bond smother an effort following a corner and took full advantage of this rare spell of pressure as Sacha Paynter pulled a goal back in the 52nd minute.

Buckland soon got back in charge of the game though, Kirsty Caunter firing wide and only the outstretched leg of the ‘keeper preventing Richards from passing the ball into the open net shortly afterwards.

Stacey fired over the bar, Caunter hit another effort wide and Gough forced the goalkeeper into another save before Buckland finally got their fourth goal. Substitute Emily Hannaford showed strength and determination to take the ball past the goalkeeper on the right-hand side before finishing well with around 15 minutes to go.

Time looked to have run out for Stacey to complete her hat-trick but she finally got the elusive third goal, deftly lifting the ball over the advancing ‘keeper with two minutes on the clock to ensure a final score of 5-1 to the home side.

Buckland’s next game is Sunday’s tough away trip to Brislington. So far this season, Buckland have beaten Brislington twice, once in the league and once in the FA Women’s National League Cup so the Bristol side will be looking to make amends this time out. A win could see the Yellows rise up to as high as third in the table.