LIAM Morris scored a hat-trick in the Basingstoke Bison’s magnificent 7-2 victory against the visiting Milton Keynes Thunder on Saturday night.

It was Morris who opened the scoring with a shot from the left wing at 2:22, which flew past former Bison netminder Tom Annetts.

However, MK hit back to level things at seven minutes exactly from a lovely flowing move, which was finished by Ollie Stone and saw Gareth O’Flaherty and man of the match Rio Grinell-Parke pick up the assists.

The Bison took the lead again as the lively Oscar Evans tipped home a blue line shot from Jay King.

The second period saw hard working Hallam Wilson with a lovely solo goal extend the lead to 3-1.

Soon after, Ashley Tait broke down the ice with Stone and between him and Annetts, Tait was unable to find the net.

Rio Grinell-Parke then had a double chance, but Alex Mettam denied him.

The home side extended their lead further at 35:58, as man of the match Morris scored with a lovely wrist shot.

The Bison then made it 5-1 as Russ Cowley played the puck into the slot, which Richard Bordowski stopped for Alex Sampford to shoot. His first effort was saved, but he netted the rebound at 37:31.

Soon after an error by MK’s Ross Green saw George Norcliffe skate in on Annetts. He tried to beat him on the back hand, but the goalie made an excellent glove save.

The final session saw the Herd reduce from playing four forward lines to three, but the goals kept coming.

Morris completed his hat-trick at 43:48 as he netted his own rebound off the stick of Jordan Lawday, who had taken over from Annetts in the Thunder net.

The game was now an even affair, MK scored their second of the game as Tomas Rubus’ hard work was rewarded.

It was left to the Bison to complete the match scoring as Morris’ shot came off the pads of Lawday and Adam Harding was on hand to net the rebound on the Herd’s only powerplay of the night.

After the game Bison player/coach Ashley Tait said: “It was job done tonight, full credit to MK as they made it difficult for us, but we have got the two points we wanted.”

This evening (6pm), the Bison head to the Hive to take on the Bracknell Bees.