Preston 6 Macclesfield 0

IT wasn't just the Bill Shankly End who were saluting a young striker claiming a hat-trick on Saturday.

A couple of miles across the town at West Cliff, the home of Preston Hockey Club, a sizeable crowd paid homage to one of their own in Sam Sinclair, who registered another hat-trick, following his four goals against Timperley last Saturday.

The diminiutive midfielder picked up where he finished last weekend as he tore into Macclesfield with the same gutso and panache that dismantled Timperley.

Dominating the game from the very start Preston moved the ball around at a lively pace and were soon two goals to the good. Both were sensational solo efforts from Sinclair.

His first saw him dribble his way through a forest of defenders before placing the ball beyond a leaden-footed goalkeeper. Then moments later Sinclair slipped the attentions of the visitors defence again to literally walk the ball into an unguarded net.

After watching his midfield partner open his scoring account for the afternoon, Mark Fletcher then got in on the act by scoring a wonderful solo goal for himself.

Sinclair completed his hat-trick shortly before the half-time break with a crisp drive into the bottom corner following a fine through ball by left half Ian Brown.

With the result settled at half-time the visitors looked to preserve some pride and defended in greater numbers during the second half. Despite their tactical switch Preston still managed to score two further goals.

Naturally Phil Bowman got on the scoresheet when his trademark reverse stick shot defeated the visiting goalkeeper.

And with the home side winning numerous short corners through Phil Rowlands and Sam Sinclair a sixth goal seemed inevitable.

And it duly arrived in the final minutes. Captain Richard Sullivan celebrated his 22nd birthday with a sweetly struck short corner strike that managed to creep past a disconsolate goalkeeper.

This Saturday Preston travel to Winnington Park hoping for another three points to maintain their title charge in the North Premier Division Two.