VETERAN amateur footballer Nigel Hammond had a field day in his new soccer boots at the weekend.

So much so, he could be heading for the record books.

For Mr Hammond, 44-year-old centre forward for Askrigg Utd, has a good claim to fame after scoring a goal within two seconds of kick-off in the match against Spennithorne on Saturday. He went on to score a further three goals as Askrigg took the match 8-0 at home.

Now, team-mates are to check whether his achievement qualifies him for the Guinness Book of Records. Referee Chris Ryan of Leyburn has verified the scoring time. But Mr Hammond said this week that video evidence might be needed for the Guinness hall of fame. The match wasn't filmed.

"But we will wait and see," he said. "I was just amazed at getting a goal so quickly. It was almost on the blow of the whistle and the ball was in the net."

Mr Ryan could not believe what he was seeing. "It was truly amazing," he said. "I looked at both goalies, they gave me the thumbs-up, I blew the whistle and started the watch.

"Nigel just hit the ball and it went straight over the top and over the goal-line. I hadn't even taken my eyes off the watch."

Mr Hammond, who runs the family butcher's business in Bainbridge, has been playing for the local team since he was 23 and moved into the Dales.

A keen runner who has tackled the Great North Run for the past three years, he has played at some point every season since then.

Team captain Mark Teasdale was delighted with his side's winning start to the new season - not least the possible world record. In 1959, the record was four seconds but more recently this was smashed at 2.8 seconds.

Mr Hammond had bought new boots for this new season and clearly they are bringing him luck.

He said: "I thought I would get a new pair as I said this would be my last season. But then, I have said that before!"