Chelmsford Chieftains made it eight straight wins, hammering Oxford for the third time this season, to extend their lead at the top of the English Premier League.

Chieftains, almost at full strength, were still without club captain Jake French on Sunday who was suffering the after effects of concussion.

Chieftains started in a rush and went ahead after just seven seconds when Andy Hannah's pass was picked up by Darren Cotton who beat goalkeeper Tom Ayers from an acute angle to register not only Chieftains' fastest goal of the season, but also the league's.

Another record tumbled as they added another goal within 14 seconds.

Good work by Duane Ward left Cotton to pick out Hannah and the big Canadian cut inside his defender to power a fine shot past Ayers to give Chieftains a two-goal lead after only 21 seconds.

Oxford then settled down and with the experienced Simon Ferry in good form in defence, they worked hard to keep Chieftains at bay.

However with Oxford's Dave Fielder penalised for hooking, Chieftains took full advantage of the power-play.

A good move by Karl Rogers and Darren Cotton was finishedoff well by Craig Metcalf at 7.18.

Chieftains fourth goal came at 11.03 when Rogers cut into the Blades' zone and fired a good shot which Ayers was unable to hold, leaving Jon Cotton to fire in the rebound.

It was Chieftains' best opening phase of the season and a huge score looked on the cards.

At 12.25 however, Oxford scored Darren Elliot and captain Robin Davison set up Gareth Endicott for a good strike which gave goalkeeper Simon Smith no chance.

Oxford's Joel Pickering then found himself penalised for interference and on the power-play Chieftains went further ahead.

Shaun McFadyen found the unmarked Darren Cotton and with Ayers already committed Cotton fired the puck into the net, the goal timed at 13.45.

Oxford replaced Ayers with Ken Wotherspoon in goal, but he was to fare little better and at 17.43 Chieftains went 6-1 up.

Strong work behind the Oxford goal by Ward and Cotton set up Hannah to net from in front of goal for his second goal.

The first period rout was completed at 18.16 after some slick interplay between Ward and Hannah left McFadyen to hit a cracking blue liner to record his first goal for Chieftains this season.

With Ayers back in the Oxford net, he was soon beaten again when on 22.27 Hannah and Darren Cotton were instrumental in the build-up for Ward to score one-on-one.

Chieftains rattled in their ninth goal at 28.12 when, with ith Jon Cotton penalised for hooking, Chieftains were put under pressure, but a quick counter attack from Cotton set up Hannah for a short-handed goal to complete his hat-trick.

Ferry featured prominently in Oxford's second goal when his attacking surge left Pickering to beat Smith on 35.30.

Seconds later Smith pulled off two fine saves from Endicott and Pickering, and with the period drawing to a close, Chieftains increased their lead.

Cotton and Hannah wereagain involved as Ward plucked the puck from the air and hit a spectacular blue-liner past Ayers to give Chieftains a 10-2 interval lead.

Chieftains continued to run the game and almost from the restart a Darren Cotton goal was wiped out by referee Endebrant when the goal was dislodged from it's moorings.

However on 51.56, terrier-like work from Billy Price and Jamie Randall was rewarded when Richard Whiting forcd the puck in from close range.

A rare defensive slip from Chieftains saw anunmarked Robin Davison net a deserved goal, Oxford's third.

At 54.11, Smith was replaced in the Chieftains' goal by Paul Wilcock to give the youngster more valuable experinece.

Chieftains completed the scoring at 56.03 when another good Ward-Cotton break set Price away to coolly deke Ayers and record Chieftains 12th goal.

Ridleys Brewers' man-of-the-match awards went to Darren Cotton (2+5) for Chieftains and for Oxford, Simon Ferry who was outstanding at the heart of a beleaguered defence, picked up the beers.

Chieftains face a hectic home weekend back in Millennium Cup action. On Saturday they host Solent Lightning (face off 6pm).

On Sunday, they host the Isle of Wight at Riverside Ice and Leisure in what looks like being a cracker of a match which could decide who progresses to which Millennium Cup semi-final.

Face off is at 6.30pm.

You put your right leg out . . the puck runs loose as Chelmsford Chieftains Pete Morley (right) takes a tumble in Sunday's English Premier League match against the Oxford Blades.

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