Shepton Mallet hit eight past St Austell without reply on Saturday — recording their biggest win since hitting double figures against Sherborne nearly a decade ago.

Ben Snell was the star of the show with a clinical hat-trick, but it was a dominant team display from start to finish against a visiting side with just one win all season.

Jake Sloggett played a key role in the opener on eight minutes, collecting an Ashton Shanley pass before crossing to Snell, whose shot was helped in by visiting keeper Josh Clark. Ten minutes later, Monty Burgess made it 2–0 with a bullet header from a Shanley corner.

Snell struck again before the half-hour after Sloggett slid him through — calmly beating Clark for his second. St Austell barely threatened, and Shepton debutant keeper Dan Jackson was largely untested, saving a tame effort from Lewis Rendell.

Despite several chances before the break from Walker-Brown, Littlewood, Peck and Burgess, Shepton had to wait until the 54th minute for their fourth — a far-post header from J J Littlewood off another Shanley assist.

Snell completed his second hat-trick of the season on the hour, tapping in after good work by Walker-Brown and Sloggett. Jay Sutherland made it 6–0 with another header, and although Clark saved Walker-Brown's penalty soon after, the winger made amends five minutes later, smashing in from an angle following Jackson's long clearance.

With ten minutes left, substitute Taelan Savage wrapped up the scoring after converting a low cross from Burgess.

Ardbeg's Man of the Match was an easy call — Snell taking the honours for his hat-trick in front of a 105-strong crowd at the Playing Fields.

Upcoming fixtures:

• Sat 1 Nov – Newquay AFC (League, KO 3pm)

• Tue 4 Nov – Clevedon Town (Les Phillips Cup, KO 7.30pm)

More local stories:

• Shepton Mallet's 'forgotten railway' reopens for cyclists and walkers

• Mendip heroes wanted to drive patients to hospital

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