IAN Davies gave Binfield a very welcome Christmas present on Saturday, scoring a hat-trick in their 4-0 win at Holmer Green.

And amazingly, it came inside the opening 15 minutes, the club's top scorer netting in the second, eighth and 13th minutes.

After that, the Moles never looked back, although it did take them until the 77th minute to get their fourth goal. scored by Carlo Santoro.

Manager Roger Herridge described it as a "solid" performance, adding he was pleased to see Binfield in the top half of the Hellenic League Premier Division for the first time this season.

They have moved up to eighth with 29 points, having played fewer games than all of the sides above them.

Binfield gave a debut to Dan Read, the Bracknell Town forward, who is returning from injury.

"He made a massive difference to us," commented Herridge.

This coming Saturday, the Moles travel to Brimscombe & Thrupp in the Bluefin Sports Cup, with the winners away to Wantage in the quarter-finals.

Ascot United came from a goal down three times to earn a 3-3 draw at Lydney and extend their unbeaten league run to six games.

After Lewis Halford had given the hosts an early lead, Luqman Kassim equalised midway through the half when heading home a cross from Jonny Denton, only to see Lyndey regain the lead four minutes later through Declan Morley-Lyne.

Nathan Minhas and Dan Price both went close for the Yellamen before they made it 2-2 early in the second half, with Kassim again on target following good work by Geoff Kibaki.

But once again they were level for only four minutes with Frankie Johnson making it 3-2.

Jamie Tompkins' men continued to work hard and were rewarded when Dan Price levelled things up.

Fabien Etienne, Minhas and Harry Laflin all had chances to increase their lead, but it needed a goal-line clearance by Chris Ellis to deny Lydney a late winner.

Ascot, who lose top spot to Brackley Town Saints, are home to second-bottom Longlevens this Saturday.

The Combined Counties League derby between Eversley & California and Sandhurst Town was postponed with the referee deeming a patch of the pitch was unplayable.

This coming Saturday, Sandhurst host Cove at Bottom Meadow, while the Boars go to Epsom & Ewell.