Keswick Hockey Club's men lost the league leadership through their postponed game last week, while rivals City of Manchester went ahead on goal difference.

But, on Saturday, Keswick went back to the top, hammering Lancaster and Morecambe 9-0 and they now lead on goal difference - but with a game in hand.

In the final match before the Christmas break, Keswick started on the front foot and took the lead after just two minutes through Rob Cook.

They were in dominant mood and a goal followed on 10 minutes by Ben Harrison and, after 20 minutes, from Mark Proctor.

When Mark Bowen made it 4-0 after 22 minutes Lancaster and Morecambe heads were beginning to go down, and the Keswick pressure was nearly as relentless as the rain.

It was, therefore, no surprise when Proctor was on hand to score his second after 27 minutes and take Keswick into half-time with a 5-0 lead.

After the break, the visitors added to their own troubles from a short corner.

In trying to clear the resulting shot, the unfortunate defender only managed to put the ball into his own net for the sixth Keswick goal.

From the next short corner, Tom Morgan put the ball past the keeper from the edge of the D while Bowen got his well-deserved second goal after an authoritative game in midfield.

Cook, who had opened the scoring very early in the game, rounded off the scoring with the ninth goal which hoisted Keswick back to the top.