JOE Pickering bagged a hat- trick as Brocton eased through to the quarter finals of the Walsall Senior Cup with an emphatic 8-0 win over visiting Warstones Wanderers.
Warstones were in complete disarray and rampant Brocton threatened to increase the lead further but opportunities were missed and Tom Griffiths in the Wanderers goal made some good saves.
Warstones started to get their game going, but the difference in class meant it was 30 minutes before Anton Jackson had Wanderers first shot on goal which Adam Whitehouse saved comfortably and this was followed by a good shot by the industrious Jon Hawley, who at this stage was Wanderers best player.
Brocton, however, were lethal on the counter attack particularly through wide
players Sam Bell and Jordan Bloor and it was Bloor that crossed the ball for Fife to convert Brocton’s fourth.
Dave Berks completed the first half scoring with a low shot to the keepers’ left on 45 minutes.
The second half started exactly the same as the first with Pickering netting straight from the kick off to make it 6- 0 and complete his treble.
Brocton boss John Berks then took the opportunity to introduce other players from the bench. Richard Jones and Sam Hollingsworth came on for Berks and Sam Fleming, then Mike Fox replaced star man Pickering. Dan Lomas was on hand to score Brocton’s seventh goal, from close quarters, on 75 minutes.
After good work by Hollinsworth on the left Fox netted from close range to make it 8-0.
The Badgers, who reached the final at Walsall’s Bescot Stadium last season,now face a tough clash against old rivals Heath Hayes from the Midland Alliance in the quarter finals. On Saturday, Brocton receive Pelsall Villa in the league (3pm).
