The Devonport Strikers closed the gap to Launceston City with a commanding 7-0 victory over the Northern Rangers. It took a little while for them to break the deadlock, but once they did, the flood gates opened as Brayden Mann scored 4 times in the rout.

It was the fox in the box doing what he does best that got Devonport off and going, turning the opening goal home past Whatman at his near post following a long range Krusa free kick into the box.

It would be the only goal of a first half that Devonport had the better of, but had a hard time beating Whatman. Whilst the Rangers had little in the way of their own chances, they were hanging in there with their Kiwi goalkeeper giving them a chance with his first half heroics.

After the restart, the Strikers struck early via Michael Holden and from that point on the floodgates firmly opened. It was a stunning solo effort from Holden, cutting inside onto his non preferred, not that you could tell from this shot, a howitzer that picked out the far corner.

He then turned provider, launching a raking ball from the left wing that presented Barnard with the chance to head home a thumping header to make it 3-0. It was a phenomenal ball and met with a finish to match.

Then it was Brayden Mann who took over the game, the leagues most dominant striker continuing his rich vein of form by firing in the next four goals of the game!

His first was a header from a Krusa corner, heading it through the sea of bodies to get off the mark.

The next a classic Mann type goal, picking out the bottom left corner with a quickly taken strike after being fed by Barnard.

The Fox claimed the assist on the next goal too, chipping it over the top for Mann to run onto. He still had plenty to do, checking inside of his centre back, before rounding the keeper and chalking up the hat-trick.

His fourth and final goal was less conventional, chesting home from close range to redirect a cross and making it a thumping 7-0 win.

It takes Mann’s season tally to a quite frankly absurd 21 goals in 12 games and has him well on the pace to smash the League’s record for most goals in a season.

Doubtless Launceston City will be studying the tape closely this week as they prepare to try stop him in next week’s crunch encounter at Buckby Landrover Park.