HAT-TRICK hero Neil Leary helped the Basingstoke Buffalo to their biggest win of the season as they beat the visiting Wightlink Tigers 11-1 to return to the top of South Two West.

The visitors struck first, in the third minute, but the Buffalo hit back as Leary, assisted by Ryan Sutton, tied things at the first buzzer.

The home side then hit five unanswered goals in the next two periods to run out easy winners.

Mark Pitts took 33 seconds of the second session to make it 2-1 and then Greg Martyn converted a pass from Kyle Goddard.

The goals kept coming as Matt Lawday and Leary took the score to 5-1.

Goal number six came from man-of-the-match Daniel Lackey, who collected six points on the night.

It was assisted by David Collins and Ashley Skinns, the latter’s third assist of the game.

Just 48 seconds into the third period, Martyn netted number seven, and then Leary completed his hat-trick.

Sutton then scored either side of Francesco Tambel-lini’s strike as the Buffalo completed their 11-1 victory.

The previous week, the Buffalo won a thriller 6-5 over the visiting Cardiff Devils.

The home side won the first period 2-0 after Pitts scored the opener and then Ben Edwards doubled the advantage.

Further goals from Lawday and Pitts extended the lead to 4-0, before the Welsh side opened their account.

Stuart Mogg added goal number five, assisted by Roberto Tambellini, and then man-of-the-match Leary made it 6-1.

After this, Cardiff scored four unanswered goals, which set up a nervous finish.

The Buffalo are next in home league action a week on Saturday, when the Wightlink Tigers visit Basingstoke again (6.30pm).

The Basingstoke under-18 Bison suffered a 6-4 loss at Guildford last Saturday.

Guildford took an early lead with a goal from former Basingstoke player Malik Adeniran-Adams.

Bison captain Hallam Wilson scored backhanded, assisted by Josh Richards and assistant captain Paul Petts, as the first period ended 1-1.

The visitors took the lead as spirit-of-the-game winner Chris Hocquigny scored against his former club.

Richards nearly added another and, during a powerplay, Petts, Richards, Wilson and Hocquigny all went close.

Guildford then scored twice in the last three minutes of the second period.

The home side extended their lead to 5-2 by 43:08 and only a good block from Jordan Gillard denied them a sixth.

A solo effort from Petts saw him net through the goalie’s legs and then Wilson reduced the lead to one goal with five minutes left.

The Bison went looking for an equaliser and Kyle Goddard and Hocquigny both went close.

Then, with 46 seconds to go, the young Herd pulled their netminder, but Guildford cleared the puck and it bounced through the legs of Louis Taylor into the net.

Elliott Lewis scored a hat-trick as the under-14 Bison drew 6-6 with the visiting Oxford City Stars.

Lewis opened the young Bison’s account as he scored assisted by William Birch, but Oxford took a 2-1 lead into the first break.

Lewis scored his second as he converted a pass from Travis Penny, only for the Stars to once again take the lead.

Lewis, with his hat-trick strike, levelled things again and then Adam Castles put the Bison 4-3 ahead.

Oxford equalised six seconds later, but Samuel Hemming-Maher hammered home Kody Sewell’s pass to make it 5-4.

Once again the Stars hit back, but then Birch edged his side in front again, only for Oxford to score the equaliser 50 seconds from time.