A LUKE Brown hat-trick fired Bourne back to winning ways in a high-scoring game at bottom-of-the-table Hammer.

The 7-4 win ended a run of eight games without a win which stretched back to mid-November.

It came on a pudding of a pitch and Bourne needed to show all their battling qualities to seal the win, only opening up a two goal deficit with twenty minutes left after being pegged back four times by the hosts.

Bourne went ahead in the opening minutes, Ben Cockram stretching to beat the Hammer keeper to Brown's pass and poking into the net.

The visitors continued to dominate but found themselves level when Hammer broke through to score against the run of play minutes later.

Brown restored Bourne's lead minutes later with his first goal of the day, but before half-time the sides were level again. There was more than a hint of offside about the goal, with a daydreaming linesman accepting fault for the decision after the game.

Further strikes from Brown were matched each time by breakaway goals by the hosts, and with half-an-hour left the 4-4 scoreline had Bourne fearing extending their winless run against a ragged but resilient Hammer side.

But a rash challenge just inside the box cost them dear as Dave Mitten coolly converted from the spot, and there was a second goal from Cockram and another from substitute Pete Vedde as Bourne dominated the closing minutes.