A REMARKABLE 9-0 win away at Bridport on Saturday proved to Bradford Town manager Wayne Thorne that his table-topping side have the strength in depth to launch a Toolstation League Premier Division promotion push.

Will Hailstone and Gary Higdon were both surprisingly absent from the Bobcats’ scoresheet in Dorset as Lewis Powell and Matt Morris both registered first-half hat-tricks.

Powell went on to score another in the second half, while Charlie Maddison and Tyson Pollard both grabbed a goal each to conclude the visitors’ efforts.

Bridport suffered a similar defeat to Street less than a week before Saturday’s clash, so Thorne was keen to express the level-headed nature his players adopted during the journey home.

But the Bradford boss added winning by nine goals at any level proves something is working, and he therefore heaped praise onto his squad ahead of a challenging November run.

Thorne said: “We were off it for the first 10 minutes. Bridport started well despite being turned over by Street in the week.

“When we got a goal, it calmed us down before leading by seven at half-time.

“At any level, a seven-goal lead at half-time isn’t what normally happens. I said to the lads that the job was done when we talked.

“I didn’t want them to get involved in anything unnecessary in the second half that could lead to an injury.

“Nine goals at any standard proves you’re doing something right.

“I’m delighted with the performance – it was professional in wet conditions.”

Morris and Pollard’s hat-tricks moves the pair into double figures for the season, with Bradford boasting a goals-per-game average greater than three.

Defensively, Thorne appears to have things worked out too as the Bobcats recorded their sixth clean sheet out of their last 10 games in all competitions.

“When teams come to us, they will try and block us out and stay in the game,” said Thorne.

“After an hour or so, if we haven’t scored, the opposition team will probably think they can get something out of the game.

“But I have enough firepower in my team to get us out of these situations. .

“Competition for places is high. I feel we have enough power in the group to challenge at the end of the season.

“And we’ve tightened things up, Saturday was another clean sheet.”

Elsewhere in Toolstation Premier, Westbury United slipped to a 2-1 defeat at home to promotion hopefuls Bridgwater Town.

Despite taking the lead through Ryan Bole, United’s advantage was reversed within 10 minutes as Thomas Ellis and Jake Brown netted for the visitors.