Beccles Town, following their fine five-goal win over Dersingham, are in Mummery Cup action tomorrow when they travel to Long Stratton who have started their league campaign unbeaten in two games (ko 2pm).

Beccles Town, following their fine five-goal win over Dersingham, are in Mummery Cup action tomorrow when they travel to Long Stratton who have started their league campaign unbeaten in two games (ko 2pm).

Beccles are second in the Anglian Combination Premier Division after four matches, their hosts fourth in Division One.

Dersingham 0, Beccles Town 5

BECCLES approached this long trip with trepidation. Although buoyed by an unbeaten league start they were ravaged by injury, unavailability and suspension.

In defence captain Sam Barham, Martin Myhill and Alex Greengrass were unavailable; in midfield Paul Heaney and Craig Peters were injured and Ant Martin was suspended from the forward line. But Matt Robbins and Andy Wigg returned from injury and full league debuts were handed to new signings Mark Howard and Tom Rogers.

Beccles adopted a 4-5-1 formation giving wingers Andy Woods and Alex Holmes a licence to attack down the flanks at will. The Wherrymen had the best of the opening exchanges, and following a Waterman free-kick Holmes forced the keeper into a smart save.

The game was then halted for some 10 minutes when one of the home spectators collapsed, which required an ambulance. The hold-up did not affect Beccles as they tore into the Dersingham defence.

Robbins was prominent in midfield and from his excellent first-time pass Holmes got away from his marker before shooting wide. Holmes again got in following fine work by Waterman, the keeper saving with his legs.

It was one-way traffic and Holmes spurned the best chance of the game so far following a fine break from midfield by Robbins. He drove towards the area, playing the wide man in. He took the ball round the keeper before dragging his shot wide.

With half-time approaching it looked as if Beccles would rue missed chances when Holmes laid the ball back to Neil McMorran. He delivered a deep right-wing cross to Alan Remblance who headed back across the keeper and into the net.

Any hopes Dersinghamhad of a fightback were extinguished by three goals in a 15-minute spell.

On 48 minutes Holmes swing in a corner, a scramble ensued and Tom Roberts forced the ball home through a maze of legs.

Seven minutes later Beccles added a third. Waterman, who was a major influence in midfield, picked out Holmes on the right who slid the ball across the area for Alan Remblance to side foot home his second and Town's third.

Three became four five minutes later when Waterman again turned provider, his cushioned header picking out Remblance who evaded two lunging tackles to shoot inside the right-hand post to complete a hat-trick.

There was no sitting back as debutant Howard and Lee Shaw were proving a fine partnership at the back, repelling anything the hosts had to offer.

Waterman was having a fine match, and following a strong midfield tackle he released Remblance into the area after 70 minutes. His shot fizzed into the net off the far post.

There was still time for Waterman to notch what would have been a thoroughly-deserved goal with five minutes to go, only for the linesman to rule out the effort for offside.

With six players out a fantastic result and performance. Remblance deserved the plaudits for his four-goal burst and his constant harrying of defenders in his lone striker role. But the general first-class, ruthless team performance by all 11 players and two substitutes stood out.

Manager Mick Broxup too deserves praise for putting out such a compact, well-balanced team despite call-offs.

Beccles Reserves are at home to Hempnall Reserves in the CS Morley Cup (2pm), a team they lost to two weeks ago at home by 1-0, the goal coming in the last minute. So they will be looking for revenge.