FOOTBALL Brooks hat-trick routs Abingdon (From The Oxford Times)

FOOTBALL Brooks hat-trick routs Abingdon

10:40am Monday 30th January 2012 in Football

Ryan Brooks completed his fourth hat-trick of the season in the first half as Uhlsport Hellenic league Premier Division leaders Ardley United romped to a convincing 4-1 victory over Abingdon Town at Culham Road.

It proved a torrid first half for the home side, who not only conceded four goals, but also had Adam Wingrove sent off.

Ardley centre-half Ben Thomas retired early on due to a facial injury caused by an elbow which went unseen by the referee.

Ardley opened the scoring in the 19th minute when Nick Thorne was felled in the penalty area and Brooks converted the spot-kick.

The visitors doubled their lead in the 25th minute when Thorne fed Troy Bryan, whose shot from an acute angle was deflected into the net by home keeper Gareth Walker.

In the 34th minute, Lovegrove was booked for something he said. After he sarcastically applauded the referee for giving him the yellow card, he was promptly booked again and shown a red one.

Brooks made it 3-0 in the 38th minute from Stuart Bridges’s defence-splitting pass He completed his hat-trick just before half-time when he was brought down by Walker and netted the resultant penalty.

The second half proved to be a damage-limitation exercise for spirited Abingdon, who scored through a splendid Mark Janes shot-on the-turn in the 56th minute.