AFTER the disappointing defeat at South Shields Reserves in midweek, Richmond Town manager Chris Lax made several changes to the starting line-up for the visit of Annfield Plain last Saturday.

The teams met in the Shipowners Cup five weeks earlier, with Richmond winning 8-1. This time they went one better, with the league’s leading scorer, Scott Ryan, back after a three-match suspension, scoring six to take his tally for the season to 26.

With the kick-off delayed for more than an hour due to traffic congestion on the A1, the home side wasted no time and were quickly on the attack. Ryan almost marked his return with a goal on the turn with less than two minutes played, but he fired over.

The game was only eight minutes old when the Town captain did put his side ahead after a move involving Dan Caisley and Colin Anderson. James Hall should have levelled two minutes later with the Plainsmen’s only chance of the first half, but Sam Grainger’s bullet header from a Ryan corner doubled the lead after 20 minutes.

Anderson rounded Annfield keeper Ross Andrews to gift Ryan his second of the afternoon 13 minutes later and further first-half chances fell to Caisley, whose shot was superbly saved by Andrews, Chris Pattison, Jason Newall and Michael Gunnell.

Richmond keeper Karl Latcham was called into action within two minutes of the restart, producing a wonderful save to keep out Kai Hewitson, and Caisley tapped home Richmond’s fourth less than a minute later.

Pattison then claimed the fifth, which appeared to take numerous deflections on its way into the net, before being unable to do anything at the other end when scoring an unfortunate own goal as Annfield Plain got on the scoresheet. With Latcham failing to clear a cross, the ball bounced off Pattison’s leg and into the net.

Andrews produced a double save to keep out Ben Darville and Ryan, but Ryan did get his hat-trick after 75 minutes when he converted Gunnell’s cross. He didn’t have to wait long before finding the net again when he finished after some great passing and movement from Richmond.

September’s player of the month Kalumn Holbrook picked out the in-form striker, who then scored his fifth when he was too quick as Annfield Plain’s defenders looked for the offside flag.

With the 90 minutes almost up, Nathan O’Connor outpaced Chris Killeen and was upended, leaving the referee no alternative but to award a penalty which Ryan converted to complete his double hat-trick with the very last kick of the game.

Town visit Gateshead Leam Rangers tomorrow for a preliminary round tie in the Monkwearmouth Cup. Kick-off is at 2pm.