DAVID Murphy and Max Palmer each hit a hat-trick as Berinsfield dumped Long Wittenham Athletic out of the North Berks Cup 8-1, writes RICHARD UNDERWOOD.

The home side set up a semi-final meeting with Kintbury Rangers in emphatic fashion against an understrength Athletic, leading 2-0 at the break thanks to strikes from Jon Welch and Mark Ingram.

The visitors collapsed after the interval, conceding three times in the first five minutes of the second half as Murphy and Palmer both went on to notch trebles.

Daryoush Kainzad did give the visitors something to cheer about late on, but it was small consolation.

Saxton Rovers escaped a potential banana skin as they overcame Division 2 side North Oxford 2-0 thanks to goals from Daniel Parry and Tom Stanley.

In Division 1, third-placed Wallingford Town were held to a rare goalless draw at Lambourn Sports.

Steventon closed the gap at the top of Division 2 to just three points with a 4-1 home victory over Kintbury Rangers Res, courtesy of goals from John Green (2), Scott McKenzie and Jamie Speer.

Lloyd Ponsford scored a late consolation for Kintbury.

Sutton Courtenay moved out of the bottom two with a narrow 2-1 victory at home to Harwell Village.

Kieran Kerby and Rhys Griffiths scored the decisive goals for the hosts, with Gareth Fenton replying.

Cameron Patterson, Jack Rowe, Tom Nicholls and Daniel Binaccioni goals gave Dorchester a 4-2 away victory over Westminster.

Tom Srawley and Harry Ackland were on target for the hosts.

OTHER SCORERS

North Berks Cup: Hungerford Tn Swifts 3 (S Buck, L Johnson, H Way), Kintbury Rgrs 4 (S Thorp 2, C Allsop 2).

Div 3: Grove Rgrs 1 (J Giles), Ardington & Lockinge 3 (J Gregory 2, O O’Hanlon); Saxton Rov Res 4 (H Winn, C Archer, L Shepherd, M Shepherd), Marcham 0; Uffington Utd 1 (J Jefferies), Benson Lions 3 (J Jones 2, M Gardener); Wallingford Tn Res 1 (M Taylor), Compton 2 (M Butler, J Rostron); Watlington Tn 2 (B Little, A B’layachi), Highworth Tn Dev 2 (A Bartlett, K O’Daly).

Div 4: Dorchester Res 0, N Oxford Res 3 (C Williams 3); Drayton 3 (C Bolton 2, R Seamark), Coleshill Utd 0; Hagbourne Utd 0, Burghclere Res 5 (C Angell 3, A Colbourne, E Weedon).

Div 5: Coleshill Utd Res 4 (J Coombe 2, W Davidson, J Pedder), Steventon Res 2; Hanney 66 0, Didcot Eagles 2 (A Rodman, P Goodall); Marcham Res 3 (L Jackson 2, J Madge), Faringdon Tn A 4 (R Evans 3, B Hayes); Wallingford Tn A 2 (J Barrett, A Ferrer-Bonsoms), Grove Rgrs Res 5 (J Dutton 3, S Pyne, E McGowran).