A rampant first-half display saw Potters Bar cruise to a 4-0 success over Upminster and give their survival hopes in East League Division One a massive boost.

Goals from Miles Tomkins, Tom Marks, Mark Turpin and Harvey Edwards, all before the interval, were enough to claim the win and delight the supporters at the hockey club’s Dame Alice Owen’s base.

It continued their upturn in fortunes too, the victory making it now two wins and one draw from the last four games.

And with just five games to go they are now five points ahead of second-from-bottom Harleston Magpies.

The reverse fixture had seen Bar somehow come away with a 2-0 win despite being pinned back for long periods by the east London outfit.

This result though was never in doubt this time, although Bar did concede inside the first five minutes.

Fortunately for the hosts the umpires ruled the strike out after a discussion.

From then on the visitors looked frustrated with the officiating and Potters Bar took full advantage, the only disappointment with their first-half showing being that they didn’t score more than they did.

The opening goal arrived on six minutes, James Brooking putting the ball back into the D for Tomkins to score from close range while number two came seven minutes later when a shot across goal by Marks, having been set up by Brooking once more, was deflected into the net by an Upminster stick.

In between Graham Abrey and Tomkins had both gone close while Turpin had two chances to beat the keeper when one on one but both teams the keeper came up with the save.

But the Bar forward would have the last laugh and on 24 minutes, moments after being denied for the third time, he got on the end of a third assist from Brooking to make it 3-0.

Brooking was in superb form all game and he would complete a superb half with a hand in the fourth as well.

This time he won the ball in midfield before finding Edwards just inside the D and his powerful reverse stick effort did the rest.

After what went before the second half was almost an anti-climax, not that the hosts were too bothered and they closed the game out in comfort.