HOCKEY: HAT-TRICKS from James Capper and Andrew Ash-worth spurred Vagrants to a superb win over City of Manchester on Saturday.

The skipper and the striker grabbed the limelight through their clinical finishes, but it was an all-round display of teamwork and determination which devastated the visitors at Willaston.

But it was Steve Bourne who made the first impression on the scoresheet in the second minute, when his spectacular strike from Dave Holland's pass left the Manchester keeper grasping at thin air.

Soon after, Capper whipped a shot home on the turn to double the lead, before confident defending and tackling from Bourne, Gary Roberts, Jon Woodhart and Paddy Leese repelled attempts at a swift reply.

On 25 minutes Ashworth and Simon Trenbirth combined to find Capper, who rounded the keeper and slotted home for 3-0. Henry Weir was unlucky not to score from close range just before half-time, but Ashworth got his first of the afternoon after the restart.

He got his second and Crewe's fifth as he applied the slightest of touches to stroke Capper's long pass home, and he completed his hat-trick after Weir played him in.

Manchester pulled a goal back with a neat strike after a rare attack, but normal service was soon resumed, when Capper slammed in an angled shot on the run to complete his hat-trick. Weir sealed the rout as he drove home with pinpoint precision to make it 8-1.

Graham Cooke got himself a treble as Vagrants seconds drew 3-3 with Daten, while Paul Owen and Phil Washington got three each in the third team's 6-0 crushing of Bowdon fifths.

Crewe Ladies notched a 3-1 win over Lytham St Annes in their first league game of the season. Debuts were handed to Vicki Clark and Tracey Chew, as well as a new-look kit sponsored by Fitness First, and the home side certainly looked the part.

Kim Jones pounced on a through ball to weave her way past two defenders and the goalkeeper to make it 1-0 after two minutes, before Vicki Clark cracked the second before the break.

Defenders Lou Crosbie, Tracey Brookfield, Gilly Blythe and Lucy Riches protected the lead, while Dionne Johnson and Bev Jackson probed up front. Shez Tomkinson made the game safe with a powerful shot, before Lytham got a consolation.