St Ives Town produced a five-star display to beat Stratford Town in their Southern League Premier clash on Saturday.

Only four minutes had been played when Julien Saka intercepted a poor pass and was taken down in the box by Josh Endall to win the first of four penalties on the day.

Dylan Williams fired emphatically past Liam O'Brien from the spot, but James Goff had to make a low save at the other end to deny Josh Hawker a reply four minutes later.

The Bards were then reduced to 10 men on 11 minutes when Jack Storer was shown a red card for a challenge on Williams by referee Alistair Wilson.

And after Goff comfortably saved a curling shot from Dexter Walters, the home side countered on the right through Greg Kaziboni who was scythed down by Endall.

Jonny Edwards converted the second St Neots penalty, as Endall was replaced by Curvin Ellis, and Walters curled just wide on 26 minutes.

Edwards then stole possession and cut in from the right to tee up the unmarked Nabil Shariff, who blazed over the crossbar, and Stratford saw Jamie Molyneux go agonisingly close just before the break.

Shariff made it 3-0 just three minutes after the restart as Kaziboni got away from James O'Neill on the right and crossed to the near post for a powerful header into the top corner of the net.

And St Ives added a fourth before the hour when Kaziboni's perfectly weighted pass sent Saka away and his centre was met by Edwards, who was denied by O'Brien but saw Shariff poke home the rebound.

The third penalty of the game was awarded on 68 minutes when Saka jinked past two defenders and was fouled by O'Neill but O'Brien denied Williams with a fingertip save to his right.

And big striker Ellis should have replied for the Bards moments later when Will Grocott teed him up for a clear header, which missed the target.

Kaziboni made way for Andrew Osei-Bonsu, who made an impact three minutes later by almost adding a fifth as he swapped passes with Shariff but was thwarted by Paul McCone.

The respite was brief for the visitors, though, as Shariff completed his hat-trick on 78 minutes after being picked out by Osei-Bonsu, reacting quickest when his initial shot was saved by the legs of O'Brien to force home the rebound.

Stratford were awarded the fourth penalty of the day when Goff came off his line to claim the ball and clattered Ellis, but the Ives keeper redeemed himself by saving Grocott's effort from 12 yards.

Goff also saved a curling 20-yard shot from Hawker in the closing stages to preserve his clean sheet ahead of a midweek trip to Needham Market.

Kings Langley are the visitors to Quattro-Tech Westwood Road on Saturday.