Brilliant!

MIKE Oliver hit half a dozen as Stevenage crushed Upminster.

Danny Blackburn and Paul Graves also scored in the most emphatic win of the season (8-1) against their great rivals in a one-sided affair.

The home side were in control from the first whistle and at times played some breathtaking hockey.

Top scorer Oliver gave Stevenage a well-deserved lead with a classy finish.

Oliver also delivered the second goal before it was the turn of skipper Blackburn who fortuitously scuffed the ball through the oncoming Upminster goalkeeper's legs.

Gary Fung then hit the post before Oliver got his hat-trick on half time.

Deflated Upminster did get a goal back but Oliver added a Stevenage fifth just a minute later.

Then from a penalty corner Blackburn had a shot saved and the rebound went to Oliver who crossed for Graves to make it 6-1 with a thunderbolt.

Chris Nichols' fantastic interception in the middle of the park allowed Oliver to go through and score his fifth.

Graves, Jon Oliver and Holt all had chances to add to the scoreline before Oliver got his sixth.

They hope to carry on the good work this Saturday against neighbours Letchworth in their final fixture of the season.

The depleted seconds were beaten 6-1 by champions Broxbourne 2nds, John Mould scoring a consolation.

Their thirds went down 2-0 to Luton Town 3rds, the fifths lost 4-1 to Harpenden 4ths (Terry Webb) and the sixth team were beaten 2-1 by Royston 5ths (Nick Russell).

Blueharts were beaten 4-2 by promotion candidates Cambridge City.

Cambridge undeservedly took the lead but Harts got the goal back a minute later when Jimmy Lewis scored when he was unmarked in front of goal.

Harts continued to battle but could not prevent City scoring a second just before the break.

They then came out to play their worst spell of the game as 10 minutes of continually passing to the opposition resulted in Cambridge scoring two weak goals.

Harts soon regained their shape and spirit and some penetrating runs from man of the match Andy Slack began to cause City problems.

Lewis linked up well with John Barrett who found himself with only the keeper to beat and he smashed the ball into the roof of the net.

Harts continued the fightback but City were just too good on the day and showed why they are in contention for promotion.

The seconds fielded a weakened team in losing 1-0 to promotion certainties Bedford 2nds.

Bedford's winner after an hour was well taken and Harts could not find an equaliser despite mounting pressure.

Letchworth's poor form was continued as they went down 4-2 at Berkhamsted.

The seconds were relegated from Division Two South (to Division Three South West) after losing 1-0 to Maldon and Little Baddow.

And the thirds lost 2-1 to Hertford 2nds despite Ashley Brown's penalty stroke.

But the fourths beat Royston 3rds 4-1 thanks to a hat-trick from Tom McIntyre-Brown and a goal for Ben Abbott.

The fifths were beaten 8-0 by Shefford and Sandy 3rds but the sixth team beat Southgate Adelaide 4ths thanks to Nick Cole and Alex Perry.

A great first-half performance from MBDA gave them a 4-1 win over Hertford 3rds and ensured their league survival.

An early goal was scored, the first of two for Paul Lawman who picked up a good pass from the wing and ran it straight past the keeper.

Minutes later, Lawman struck again with an almost identical move before Hertford managed to pull back the deficit from a well-placed short corner.

MBDA earned a succession of short corners from which Ben Bollig converted two.

The second half was more subdued as MBDA faded away and Hertford attacked more.