KIM Richings not only scored four goals in a 10-0 home win over Tynemouth seconds in the North East League, Division Two, but pinned his name on Darlington's 100th league goal of the season.

In a week which saw Darlington win the Durham County Indoor Hockey Plate competition with an impressive 11-0 win over Wilton, the result against Tynemouth was the icing on the cake.

A solid team performance ensured that with only five league games remaining Darlington are in a strong position for not only getting promotion, but also going up as champions.

Tynemouth were pinned back in their own half right from the first whistle. Darlington maintained the majority of the possession and this paid off early when they were rewarded with a goal in the first two minutes of the game. Alderson, the right back, found himself ten yards from the Tynemouth goal and after receiving a pass from Handley he sent a low flick into the corner of Tynemouth's goal.

The second and third Darlington goals came from Richings, the first a penalty flick which he placed calmly into the net while his second goal required a little extra work, taking the ball round the diving Tynemouth goalkeeper and striking it into the empty net.

The fourth and final goal of the first-half was awarded to Tristian Handley who was in the right place at the right time. A shot rebounded off the Tynemouth keeper and Handley collected the ball and dispatched it into the net.

Darlington captain Jim McDougall, was far from impressed with the standard of play at half-time and asked his players to up the pace and kill off the game once and for all.

The players did not let him down. Darlington applied more pressure at the start of the second-half and the fifth goal came after Townend broke away down right side and delivered an accurate pass across the Tynemouth goal for Fisher to simply place into the net.

The visitors' heads went down and mistakes appeared in their play, many resulting in short corners, and it was from these corners that goals six and seven appeared.

Alderson got the first with a well-placed strike after he collected the rebound from his orginal strike from the top of the D. Richings completed his hat-trick, with an unstoppable shot from a well- rehearsed short corner routine.

Alderson joined Richings on completing a hat-trick. Tynemouth only had themselves to blame when a badly placed strike from their defence found its way to Fisher, who reacted quickly and delivered a pass which put Alderson through on goal with only the keeper to beat.

He did not disappoint and slotted away the eighth goal for Darlington. Darlington's 100th league goal of the season was goal number nine and it was fitting it came from top scorer Richings.

He crafted the goal, although at one point he looked as if he was going to overrun the ball.

The ball reached Richings at the top of the D. He turned and ran towards Tynemouth's goal and although he was pushed wide of the goal still manged to place the ball under the goalkeeper and into the net.

The last goal went to Fisher. Wright delivered a diagonal cross into the vistors' D for Fisher who flicked the ball past the Tynemouth keeper.

The result was very pleasing considering the last time the two teams met, Darlington went away with a 2-0 win.

The next few weeks will see the re-arrangement of postponed matches and the first is on Sunday at Eastbourne against Richmond (12:30 push back).

Darlington: Boyle, Ithurralde, Dover, Alderson, Thompson, Fisher, Handley, McDougall (capt), Townend, Richings, Wilson, Wright.