Gorleston returned to the top of the table with a comfortable 6-1 win at Emerald Park against Brantham Athletic.

Mitch McKay, who before the game was presented with an engraved silver plate to commemorate his 200th game, replaced Sam Knock at centre back, with Joel Watts starting ahead of Peter Lambert.

New signing Dominic Docherty replaced Angus Mackie in midfield. Docherty had been at Gorleston as an Under 18 from 2010 to 2012 and returned to the Greens week from Stowmarket.

After an impeccable minute's silence in memory of stalwart supporter David Hudson who died recently, the game couldn't have got off to a better start for the Greens.

Connor Deeks spotted a run of Christy Finch between defenders and picked him out.

There was an excellent first touch by Finch to bring the ball under control and an even better second touch to flick it past the keeper to put the Greens ahead.

Docherty was caught in possession in the fifteenth minute by the lively Jose Santa De La Paz. De La Paz drove to the edge of the box, squaring the ball past Jake Jessup to give Tommy Northwood a simple finish.

Six minutes later, Gorleston were back in front.

This time Mitch McKay pinged the ball forward to Joel Watts who was denied by Brantham keeper Ryan Bedingfield and the ball went for a corner.

Robbie Sweeney's corner was returned to him by Finch. Sweeney then crossed the ball back in and found the head of Deeks, who nodded home for his third goal in four games.

Three minutes before the break Docherty showed his class to rise high above everybody else to head in Sweeney's corner and put the Greens 3-1 up.

Jessup kept his side two clear, with a good tackle on an attacker just before the break then saving with his feet to deny De La Paz just after the break.

Sweeney then drilled a low shot from just outside the box into the bottom corner of the net in the 76th minute to make it 4-1.

Watts saw a header from close range saved then scrambled away for a corner. He took the corner himself, finding the head of McKay who looped the ball into the net for Gorleston's fifth.

The scoring was complete in the final minute when Angus Mackie was upended in the box and Finch stepped up to convert the penalty.

Gorleston are back on their travels on Saturday with a visit to Long Melford.