TROJANS flexed their goal scoring muscle for tomorrow's EHA Cup showdown against Oxford Hawks with a blistering 8-3 win.
Their thumping of Hampshire/Surrey Regional League neighbours Winchester at King's School put Trojans two points clear of Old Kingstonians at the top and with a massive plus-14 goal difference.
Two goals in front through Steve Rhodes and Wayne Shepherd in just 90 seconds, Trojans swept into an unassailable 5-0 interval lead.
Paul Hilton, Pete Wiles and Colin French swept further goals past the heroic Craig Falkingham as Trojans threatened a total rout.
"The pace and movement of our front players really caught the eye, while we got a lot of movement from the back and from midfield, where Rich Newman, Craig Sommerville and Duncan Stewart all had good games," praised skipper Campbell Williams.
Trojans, who scored four first-half goals from clever penalty corner routines, took their foot off the gas in the second half - and Winchester gradually clambered off the canvas.
Kent Langridge cut the gap but each time Winchester replied, so Trojans increased the score through Rhodes, Hilton and French.
Andy Winnett and Chris Ralph added their names to the Winchester scoresheet.
Trojans, away to London Edwardians this afternoon, fancy their chances of a cup upset against mid-table National League Division 3 outfit Oxford Hawks at Stoneham Lane tomorrow.
"We'll be asking a lot of questions, that's for sure," Williams said. "It will be a useful barometer for us. Let's not forget they play three leagues above us - but we're playing with enough confidence to get a result."
Also aiming for a cup shock tomorrow are Regional Leaguers Hamble, who face an even more daunting task against Premier Division 1 side Old Loughtonians at Satchel Lane.
A Steve Barber hat-trick earned Hamble a 3-3 draw with London Edwardians last week.
Newly-promoted Southampton are finding life tough in the Regional League.
A 4-2 defeat by Epsom at the Sports Centre - mainly due to a catalogue of defensive mistakes - was their second setback in three outings.
Neil Harber and Matt Bean scored Southampton's second-half goals.
Newly-promoted Trojans II saw their two-match Open League Division 2 winning start shattered by a 4-1 home defeat by Barnes.
But Southampton University have begun their Hampshire League season with a bang, pipping Weymouth 2-1 and hammering Aldershot & Farnham 5-2.
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