JORDAN McKENZIE scored twice as Earlswood Town cruised to a 4-1 win away at local rivals Hampton.
McKenzie struck twice in the second half to wrap up the points after Joe Tobin and Andy Matthews put the Earls ahead at the break.
The result lifts Earlswood up to eighth in the Midland Football League Division Two table, seven points clear of bottom side Barnt Green Spartak.
Earlswood opened the scoring on 15 minutes when Tobin rifled the ball home after McKenzie’s cross was parried into his path.
And McKenzie had a chance to double Earlswood’s lead only to blaze his effort well wide of goal from Joel Hughes’ sublime lofted pass.
The home side almost levelled in comical fashion when Earls goalkeeper Dan Farr cleared against the back of a Hampton attacker only for Farr to recover and make a pair of superb quickfire saves.
And the visitors had their second goal on the half-hour mark when Matthews converted from the penalty spot after Hughes was barged over in the box.
The Earls carried their momentum into the second half and trebled their lead when McKenzie produced an audacious backheel flick from Connor Nowaczyk’s low cross.
Hampton scored a consolation goal on 81 minutes when Jack Slevin headed home from a corner.
However, Earls striker McKenzie rounded off a slick team move with a tap in at the back post to ensure the visitors leapfrogged their opponents in the table.
Earlswood are next in action away at Bolehall Swifts on Saturday, February 5 with kick-off at 2.45pm at Rene Road Ground.
