THE fixture backlog was given another hefty boost at the weekend with only four East Gwent Senior League matches going ahead.

Division 1's Sudbrook CC A took full advantage of their game taking place, adding another 10 goals to the goal difference column with a strong performance on a boggy pitch against Severn Tunnel A.

There was an air of expectancy in the home camp with managers Jason Brimble and Daryl Carr able to pick from 17 players while their counterpart Steve Duddridge's team were without six regulars due to a variety of reasons.

"We have three players away on holiday, one is moving house and two are working so it has been a struggle to field a team," Duddridge admitted before kick-off.

Meanwhile, Brimble and Cann were able to name new signing Richie Lloyd from Chepstow Town on the bench while Matthew Phillips slotted into the position normally filled by the absent Zak Hitchens.

Phillips, who works in London, came home for the weekend and immediately offered to step in, and his speed and finishing contributed to most of Sudbrook's tally.

He was on hand to start the rout, poking the ball past Neil Hughes in Tunnel's goal before Keenan Perrett made it 2-0 with a 20-yard drive.

With Phillips on the left and Richard Lund on the right, Sudbrook looked dangerous whenever they crossed the halfway line but the home side didn't have it all their own way as Tunnel Sam Barrett and Daryl Berry were always probing and looking to reduce the arrears.

Lund made it 4-0 with two good goals, Mark O'Hara made it 5-0 soon after and Phillips scored his second before the break.

Brimble and Cann sent on Lloyd at the start of the second half and he made an immediate impact, scoring with a screamer that gave Hughes no chance.

In fact Hughes denied Sudbrook an even greater winning margin with three excellent second half saves.

But Phillips was on a roll and he completed his hat-trick and then added two more in the dying minutes to register the double-figure scoreline.

"All in all, we are over the moon with the effort the boys put in," Cann said.

"We know every league game for us now is a 'Cup Final' and even though the pitch was poor we still played some quality football.

"If we put that amount of effort into the last six league games the title is ours!"