Fairford Town produced one of the standout results of the season as they hit the goal trail in spectacular style at Hellenic League Premier Division high-fliers Slimbridge on Saturday.

They won 7-3 in a remarkable game which saw them trail 2-0 after 13 minutes and play the last 30 minutes with 10 men after Riegan Cook was sent off.

“It was crazy,” said Fairford director of football Jody Bevan. “The form guide went completely out the window.

“We hadn’t scored in our three previous league games and they hadn’t conceded in their previous four league and cup games, they’d conceded only 20 in the league all season before Saturday.

“We’ve been struggling to score goals and have had a really tough six weeks.”

Joint manager Jamie Reid left the club earlier in the month and Saturday’s game was just the second time that new boss Sam Collier, who joined Fairford at the start of the campaign, had taken sole charge.

They lost his first game 2-0 at Mangotsfield United – their fourth league defeat in a row – but turned things around in incredible fashion once Tommy Ouldridge’s long range free-kick flew into the net after 17 minutes.

Attacking midfielder Harrison Edwards, who has recently rejoined the club from Malmesbury Vics, then took over, hitting a first-half hat-trick to give the visitors a 4-2 half-time lead.

Second-half goals by Bradley Hooper, Elliot Haffenden and a Wayne Nderemani penalty – the last two after Cook had seen red – completed what truly was an astonishing game.

“Everything just clicked,” said Bevan. “The heavy pitch and strong wind probably helped us more than them but we were clinical.

“Slimbridge are a good side and when we went two goals down early on I was thinking this could get embarrassing.

“But once we fluked that first goal, it flicked a switch and we completely changed as a team.

“We’ve got some good players and I know what they’re capable of. We were confident doing into the game and we do tend to play better against the top teams.

“What we need now is to find the consistency.”

Edwards was obviously the star turn and Bevan continued:  “His first goal was excellent, he showed great feet and great strength in the box to create the opportunity.”

Bevan enjoyed that moment but the former centre-forward’s favourite goal was scored by Haffenden.

“That was a proper striker’s goal,” Bevan said. “He went through on goal and dinked it over the keeper.”

The result leaves Fairford 12^th in the 20-strong division, nine places and 21 points behind Slimbridge.

It was Slimbridge’s fourth defeat in 23 league games and their second at home and chairman Barry Gay admitted: “It was a bad day at the office.

“We were cruising at 2-0 and it should have been 4-0 and game over. But fair play to Fairford, they were big, strong and physical.

“The only blessing is that leaders Roman Glass St George lost and Droitwich and Corsham both drew with each other, the league is still in our hands.”

Slimbridge travel to bottom-of-the-table Hallen on Saturday while Fairford, who have 16 games remaining, host mid-table Hereford Pegasus.