SHOCKED but still smiling – Mark Danks answered his critics in customary fashion as Worcester City mauled poor Quorn 8-0.

Danks scored twice and set up another in the first half to make it eight goals in seven Midland League Premier Division appearances, a run which has seen the opposition vote him man of the match on four occasions.

Granted, Quorn hardly presented City’s toughest test of the campaign – indeed that could be the understatement of the season – but it was Danks who provided the spark as his side struggled to get going early on.

The opener did not arrive until the 25th minute and came via a slice of fortune as Danks’ left-wing cross swirled inside the far post.

That bust the dam with Josh Sarmento quickly gathering his composure after he had trod on the ball to scoop in Jamie Smith’s cross via the post with half-an-hour played.

The goals kept coming at five-minute intervals with Danks spreading the play to Smith whose cross-shot was parried for the 33-year-old striker to rifle into the roof of the net.

Danks then turned provider, this time showing neat footwork on the right to clip into Dave Reynolds who could not miss with his far-post header.

Four to the good at the break, the second half looked like petering out until two City substitutes combined to up the ante.

Kyonn Evans, who had replaced the ill Sarmento just before half-time, played in livewire James Baldwin to fire low to Ryan Thacker’s right as the Quorn keeper made his move the other way.

The visitors began to wave the white flag with Lee Hughes the next to score from the bench, cushioning a lobbed half-volley over the hopelessly-exposed Thacker.

Quorn then spurned three easy chances to clear a corner that Brad Birch thumped in from close quarters with six minutes to go before Evans became the third substitute to net, steering high across goal and beyond Thacker’s grasp from Baldwin’s right-wing cut-back to the corner of the box.

“Even if I had meant it no one would believe me,” said Danks of his opener, affording himself a chuckle.

“It was a back-stick cross but it was nice to see it go in, especially after some of the things said in the crowd.

“I am still shocked to be honest. It was good to get the goal because I hadn’t started the game that well but I didn’t think I had done that badly.

“I thought it was a bit unjust. People have their opinions and I respect that but when it is loud in a quiet ground it does take you aback.”

The result moved City up to second in the table and to within two points of the summit on a day when leaders Coleshill Town and much-fancied Coventry United lost.

“We have had some good results,” said Danks.

“Long Eaton looks like two points dropped now but other teams are slipping up too. Our only defeat came against the favourites when we had half-a-squad and we have been scoring goals.

“We are still critical of ourselves though. At half-time we were disappointed we hadn’t played as well as we could and if that’s the case when we’re four up then I’m happy.

“You don’t want to be going in at half-time patting each other on the back when you're giving away sloppy passes. That’s us as a squad, we need to be critical rather than sitting back.

“That showed in the second half, we came out and didn’t quite put our foot on the gas to begin with but kicked on in the end."

City: Gwynne, Chiwara, Griffiths, Albert, Forsyth, Hayward, Sarmento (Evans, 41), Birch, Danks (Hughes 75), Reynolds (Baldwin 58), J Smith. Unused subs: M Smith, Palmer.

Attendance: 317.