Welwyn Garden City delivered a ruthless second-half display to beat unbeaten Stotfold five-nil and climb to third in the table.
The Southern League Division One Central fixture was played at Herns Way in Welwyn Garden City.
Brad Dixon-Smith, Ethan Rookard, Tyreece Robertson, Evaristo Mendes and Kendall Gyamfi were on target in a commanding home victory.
The result handed Stotfold their first league defeat of the season, while Welwyn secured their fifth win from six matches.
The opening stages were competitive, although the hosts created the better opportunities.
Eddie Corbit lifted an effort over the crossbar before Luis Cantello tested goalkeeper Groom with a shot that lacked power.
Welwyn broke the deadlock after 28 minutes with a superb strike from Dixon-Smith.
A short corner created space on the right, allowing the full-back to unleash a 30-yard effort which flew into the top corner.
The home side almost doubled their advantage four minutes later when Tyreece Robertson escaped Valencia, but his shot finished inches wide.
The second goal arrived in the 37th minute.
Captain Jay Lovell headed a free-kick across the face of goal, where Rookard rose to head home from close range.
Robertson made amends for his earlier miss two minutes before half-time.
The forward again got the better of Valencia, powered beyond the defender and drove the ball over Groom and beneath the crossbar.
Lovell was replaced by teenage defender Frankie Impey at the interval after passing a pre-match fitness test.
Impey suffered a shoulder injury shortly after coming on but returned to the action following several minutes of treatment.
Welwyn continued to control proceedings after the restart and introduced Kendall Gyamfi and Mendes in place of Rookard and Robertson just before the hour.
Mendes added the fourth in the 70th minute.
Gauthier’s header from a right-wing corner was heading goalwards before Mendes reacted quickest to force the ball over the line.
The fifth arrived from the penalty spot with seven minutes remaining.
Good work by Nick Ralfe and Reece Barrett released Gyamfi inside the area, where a challenge brought him down.
Gyamfi took responsibility and struck the penalty firmly past Groom.
The hosts continued to threaten late on, with Barrett pulling a shot across the goal after Ralfe had delivered a dangerous cross.
Groom then produced the visitors’ best save in the final minute, keeping out Ralfe’s well-struck free-kick.
The victory gives Welwyn considerable momentum ahead of their FA Trophy tie at Eastbourne next Saturday.
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