Thurlow Nunn Premier Mildenhall Town 5 Fakenham Town 0 Mildenhall took advantage of Felixstowe’s Friday night slip-up by hammering their Norfolk visitors to move nine points clear at the top.

The league leaders built on their vital midweek win over fellow title hopefuls Gorleston with this dominant performance and were in no way flattered by the final emphatic scoreline.

Any early nerves were settled with a goal in the first attack. The recalled Dan Brown squared for Chris Bacon who was given time and space to find the corner from 12 yards out.

Dean Greygoose’s men extended the lead on 12 minutes as Joe Asensi’s inswinging free kick from the right was headed into his own net by Ghosts defender Josh Youngs.

Hall were first to every loose ball, pinning the visitors back in their own half, and it was no surprise when they conceded again just before the half hour as Steve Spriggs dinked an inch-perfect ball over the defence into the path of Dan Brown, who stroked the ball home past the exposed Tim Rix in the Fakenham goal.

It could have been worse shortly afterwards for Fakenham but Rix denied Bacon and Spriggs as they cut through the visiting defence seemingly at will.

Fakenham’s only real threat came from recent signing Joe Jackson but his surging runs were snuffed out by Mildenhall’s well-drilled back line, which included the returning Mat Mitchell-King who was making his second appearance since re-signing to the club after a 12 year absence.

The pattern of play remained the same after the break with the hosts well on top.

A fourth goal arrived on 50 minutes. Max Melanson curled in a superb effort which struck the post and rebounded to Spriggs who converted from close range.

Midway through the half a tenacious piece of play from Spriggs saw him hold off two defenders before drilling home a low drive from just outside of the penalty area to complete the scoring.

Fakenham skipper Matt Gilchrist then went close as his overhead kick clipped the top of the bar in a rare attack and any further threat the visitors had was diffused by the outstanding Arran Mackay, who deservedly won the sponsors man of the match award.