THE British Lion roared to a fifth successive victory with a 4-1 win over neighbours The Crown in the Devzies-derby in Division Two.

The Lion started positively and after eight minutes, Devizes Town ace Danny Powell had the ball in The Crown net but the effort was ruled out for offside. After 11 minutes fellow striker Tom Evans was released by a neat freekick from Mikey O'Donnell but was denied by the woodwork. Four minutes later Evans showed devastating pace when he burst through from the halfway line but his final shot was well blocked by Crown goalkeeper Mike Bates.

A minute later Rob Drown made a carbon copy run and again Bates denied the Lion midfielder. Although The Crown were generally coping well with the Lion's pressure, their own attacks were few and far between.

After 20 minutes Niall McClean's corner was well met by central defender Chris Quenton but his header flew straight into Mark Stonestreet's hands.

On the half hour, Evans thumped a 20-yard drive straight at The Crown goal but again Bates handled well.

Probably the Lion's best chance of the half again fell to Evans, after Bates could only palm up O'Donnell's cross. but somehow the striker hooked the loose ball over from two yards. As the half came to a close, The Crown slowly got back into the game and five minutes before the break, Paul Revening met Nathan Cook's long ball, but his 15-yard shot dipped over the bar.

After a goal-less first half, British Lion flew out of the blocks at the start of the second period. Mark Hulland blasted a low drive across the goal within the opening 30 seconds.

The opening goal came a minute later from the Lion midfielder. A mix-up between Crown defenders Quenton and Gary Lavery resulted in Hulland stealing the ball and calming slotting home from close range. The second came a minute later. Andy Stonestreet's long cross found Powell on the edge of the Crown area and as Bates narrowed the angle, the Lion striker deftly sided footed the ball into the bottom corner.

With British Lion now taking control of the game, a third goal should have come on 52 minutes. Powell's low cross eluded substitute Nathan West and ended up at Andy Stonestreet's feet. With an open goal and plenty of time, he somehow blasted his shot over the bar.

Five minutes later, the Lion did extend their lead to 3-0. John Stockman was bundled over by Nathan Cook, and O'Donnell calmly dispatched the penalty.

As The Crown pushed forward, they left space at the back and the pace of Powell and West threatened more goals. Both were guilty of missing good chances and the heroics of goalkeeper Bates again denied a close range drive from Drown. After 76 minutes, The Crown sensed a lifeline. After a series of missed tackles, striker Darren Thorpe volleyed goalwards from 20 yards and his shot kicked viciously in front of Stonestreet and went in off the post to make it 3-1.

But it was not be for The Crown as ten minutes from time, British Lion wrapped up the points. Lavery was robbed by Nathan West, who curled a 20 yard shot over Bates to make it 4-1.