Hythe Town deservedly took all three points in a 3-0 win against East Grinstead Town on Saturday afternoon as a stunning first half hat-trick from Zak Ansah blew the visitors away. 
Hythe soon took control of the game and after six minutes a Jack Sammoutis corner saw Ansah have a shot blocked and when it came back to Nigel Neita, he fired wide. Ansah opened the scoring after only seven minutes as Nieta pushed the ball onto the Hythe talisman who stroked the ball home. East Grinstead had to wait until the ninth minute for their first attack when a long range effort from Michael Wilson sailed over the bar. However it was the hosts who continued to threaten as a Sammoutis free kick from the edge of the area drifted over the bar.
Sammoutis was in the action again as his deep corner found Mitchell Dickenson on the far but the defenders header was cleared off the line. However on seventeen minutes, Hythe went further ahead as a Campbell shot was met by Ansah who redirected the ball with his head into the net and made it two-nil. Former Hythe striker Sid Sollis broke and played the ball in with it finally ending up with another ex-Cannon Callum Emptage who could not get his attempt away.
A mix up in the home defence left Anthony Everett with an open goal but he spooned the ball over the bar and then on 25 minutes Emptage had another effort that this time went over the bar. The game was as good as over after 33 minutes as Ansah completed his hat-trick. A clearance from Mitchell Dickenson went straight into the path of Ansah who ran on and placed his shot neatly and calmly into the corner of the net to make it 3-0.
Hythe seemed to take their foot off the pedal at the start of the second half. The first fifteen minutes of the second period saw few chances with both team threatening but not creating any meaningful opportunities. On 66 minutes Sollis was unlucky not to narrow the gap as he unleashed a shot from 25 yards that slammed against the top of the cross bar and over and then Everett forced Hythe keeper George Kamurasi to block well.
At this stage the visitors looked the more likely to score as Sollis fired wide but on 77 minutes Ansah, at the other end, broke through but his attempt was blocked. The ball came out to Kieron Campbell who forced a save from East Grinstead keeper Sheikh Cassay. There was one more chance for the Wasps as a long range effort from 30 yards by Karn Miller-Neave drifted wide. Throughout the game the Hythe back four stayed firm to prevent any damage giving the Cannons a firm foundation.
Hythe in the end were comfortable winners and move up to eighth place with a Kent Senior Cup tie at home to Margate on Tuesday evening with 7:45pm kick-off.
Team: George Kamurasi, Salvyn Kisitu, Aziz Lyoubi, Chris Kinnear (Mitchell Chapman 72 mins), Nathan Daly, Mitchell Dickenson, Charlie Webster, Nigel Neita, Zak Ansah (Charlie Owen 90 mins), Jack Sammoutis (Josh Stirman 45 mins), Kieron Campbell.
Scorers: Hythe Town – Zak Ansah 7, 17, & 33 mins.
Attendance: 233