Loughts started strongly, with their well-marshalled defensive press keeping Richmond at bay as half-chances fell to both sides in a goalless opening quarter.

They were reduced to 10 men for six minutes in the second quarter and then to nine for a further four, but determined defending kept Richmond out despite sustained pressure.

Loughts then struck from a penalty corner. Harvey Edwards’ powerful flick forced a good save, but the ball fell to Freddy Cooke, who calmly slotted home his first goal of the season.

Just four minutes later, James Lewis found Archie Winter with an overhead and he threaded a pinpoint pass to Richard Hartley-Shah, who deflected home to make it 2-0 at half-time.

It took another 20 minutes for the next goal to arrive, with Hartley-Shah returning the favour to Winter with a cheeky pass behind his back, which Winter slammed in at the near post.

Four minutes later, Mark Loughrey found Edwards, who fed Ali Shan to fire home a superb backhand.

Loughts struck again a minute later from a penalty corner.

Loughrey’s flick was saved but, just as for the opening goal, the ball fell to Cooke, who made no mistake to complete a 5-0 victory and secure Loughts’ fourth clean sheet of the season.

The win lifted Loughts to third ahead of a home game against new league leaders Teddington at Luxborough Lane next Sunday.

It was a good day all round for the club as the Men’s 2s beat St Albans 2s 3-1, with Harry Moffat, Mark Antrobus and Will Hopkins on target.

The Men’s 3s enjoyed a convincing 5-0 away victory over Brentwood 2s, while the men’s 4s also kept a clean sheet with a 3-0 home win against Redbridge & Ilford 1s.