Form is supposed to count for nothing in derby games scrappy affairs settled by a single goal. Dave Gilroy and his Chippenham teammates shattered that myth on Saturday.

The Bluebirds produced arguably their best display of the season against a visiting Cirencester who offered up one of their worst. The outcome a scintillating 5-0 demolition job from Steve White's Southern League leaders.

Virtually all the damage was done in the first half, with Gilroy Ciren's tormentor-in-chief.

His move from Weston has proved shrewd business on White's behalf and a superb hat-trick takes the striker's tally to 15 in 18 games.

He gave ex-Swindon defender Adi Viveash the runaround at Hardenhuish and took just five minutes to open his account.

Former Chippenham keeper Mark Bryant parried James Constable's shot but Gilroy reacted quickest to thump in the rebound.

Two minutes later Gilroy turned provider, with his cross from the left tapped in by the ever versatile Simon Charity, enjoying a rare starting slot.

Shellshocked Ciren eventually found their feet, with Jody Bevan firing over but Charity ended any comeback hopes with his second on the half hour.

Constable was fouled but an advantage was played by the referee and Chippenham's longest serving player smashed a 20-yard drive past Bryant.

Ciren chief Brian Hughes was then forced to reshuffle when Kevin Halliday was stretchered off 10 minutes before the break with a serious leg injury.

They were then hit by another Gilroy goal the best of the game. The Bristol Rovers reject spun and volleyed in Mark Badman's pass from the edge of the box.

A horrendous half for Ciren was compounded in stoppage time when Adam Mayo received a straight red card for a lunge at Badman.

The 10 men made a fight of it in the second period, Scott Griffin fired just wide and Shaun Wimble warmed the hands of Mark Hervin, but the Centurions were finally put out of their misery midway through the half. Former Cirencester starlet Constable stretched the visiting defence and fired in a shot that looked to be drifting wide so Gilroy kindly made sure with the finishing touch to complete his treble.

And with second-placed Bedford losing at Halesowen, White's in-form troops now sit six points clear at the top of the Premier Division.

CHIPPENHAM travel to Paulton Rovers in the quarter-finals of the Southern League Cup tonight. Ciren bid to bounce back with a league trip to Hednesford.

CHIPPENHAM: Hervin, Charity, McEntegart, G Thorne, Herring, Badman (Horgan 67) Wilmot (W Thorne 67), Davidson (Allison 75) Gilroy, Constable, Jones. Subs not used: Kirk, Astley.

CIRENCESTER: Bryant, Arndale, Halliday (Howarth 35), Mayo, Jackson, Viveash, Robison, Wimble, Hopkins, Bevan (Griffin 60), Fitch (Richards 45). Subs not used: Stanley, Bird.