AMESBURY Town reversed the 7-2 defeat at Tadley Calleva with a 7-2 victory of their own at home to Liss Athletic on Saturday.

The Blues named an unchanged side from the midweek Hospital Cup win over Redlynch & Woodfalls, and almost took the lead after just two minutes when Tom Western's header hit the post.

Nic Turpin opened the scoring on 11 minutes when the ball ran clear after Danny Western was felled on the edge of the box, although there was a suspicion of offside.

There were similar concerns about Steve Harding's leveller after 35 minutes, but the goal stood.

Five minutes later, Danny Western converted a penalty to put Amesbury back into the lead and he then set up Danny Finnigan who shot into the far corner just before the break.

Marc Pocock slid the ball in from a right wing cross to reduce the deficit on 55 minutes, but Turpin restored the two-goal advantage two minutes later from a tight angle.

Pocock thought he had got a third Liss goal but it was ruled out for offside, and he received a straight red card for his vehement protestations.

Danny Western chipped Liss 'keeper Andy Glasspool for his second goal and Paul George then fired inside the near post, making it 6-2 to the Blues with 15 minutes to go.

Turpin completed his hat-trick in the 86th minute and Dean Bowden had a goal disallowed as Amesbury rounded off their biggest win of the season.

Blues boss Glen Butterfield missed the game due to illness but received regular updates from his assistant Ian Jones.

"Ian has covered four games for me now, and won three and drawn one, so maybe I should be assisting him!" quipped Butterfield.

"Ian does a really good job and the help he gives me is top drawer. After the Tadley game it was important to beat Redlynch and then Liss, and it cheered me up to get the texts when the goals went in."

Amesbury's fixture at home to Warminster Town on Tuesday night was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch, but they will hope to be back in action against US Portsmouth at Bonny Mead on Saturday.

"Portsmouth are going well so it will be a hard game," added Butterfield. "We are still very much a Jekyll and Hyde team, but we will keep going and just try to finish as high as we can."