MARK Robinson followed up his hat-trick against Worcester City by all but pledging his long-term future to Weymouth.

The highly-rated midfielder, whose current contract expires in May, said he wants to be part of the Terras Dr Martens Premier Division championship challenge next season.

"I've got no real interest in playing for a mid-table side", he told Echosport after the fourth-placed Terras hammered third placed City 4-0 at the Wessex Stadium, "and I think that's the same for most of the players. But the signing of people like Lee Phillips is really encouraging and it just goes to show the ambition here at Weymouth and that we're going in the right direction.

"The squad that Andy Mason and Fred Davies is putting together is certainly the strongest since I've been at the club and there's a real feeling in the dressing room that we can now go on and push for a return to Conference. That's something that I want to be part of and so I've little doubt that my future lies here at the Wessex Stadium."

But after attracting the attention of a number of League clubs already this term, much will depend on who else wants Robinson's signature come the close season.

And judging by this outstanding performance, they'll be queuing up at the ex-Gravesend man's door.

He added: "With Lee Phillips being injured, Andy and Fred decided to push me up front early in the game and it was a decision that paid off. I remember scoring probably the worst hat-trick ever against Yate a few years ago, but it's great to get one against a top team like Worcester.

"You can argue that they were suffering after playing so many games in a short space of time, but they are still a good side and it took a really sharp team performance to beat them today. The quality and confidence in the squad is fantastic at the moment and I really believe that Weymouth is now geared up for a return to Conference football."

With the Terras newer signings having grabbed all the headlines of late, it was the old guard of Robinson, David Laws, Simon Browne, Ian Hutchinson, Matthew Hale and John Waldock who really caught the eye.

Manager Mason explained: "A lot has been said lately about the Michael Deans, Lee Phillips' and Darran Rowbothams of this world and rightly so. But the old guard are what this team has been built on and so often they are the unsung heroes.

"But they were outstanding today, as were all 14 players involved and I've got to be delighted with a team that puts four past the side who are third in the table."

He added: "Admittedly Worcester looked jaded and probably weren't at their best, but they still made it tough for us, but in the end we were worthy winners."

And City boss John Barton, who was sent from the dug out for dissent, was also full of praise for the Terras.

"I've no complaints about the scoreline", he said. "Weymouth are a class team and fully deserved their win. Fred and Andy have worked wonders this season and, but for a shaky start, I think they would have been top by now. Worcester and Weymouth are both big clubs where the expectations are huge and so hopefully both of us can go on and have a real fight for the title next year."

WEYMOUTH Reserves, who now have their sights set on the runners-up spot in the Jewson Wessex Combination, begin a run of nine

successive away games when they travel to play Whitchurch tonight.

Their squad is: Bates, Evans, Wisden, Newland, Linard, Walker, Mutch, Critchell, Nicholson, Darch, Clasby, Oldrid, Cameron. Leave Wessex Stadium 4.45.

MARK Robinson smashed a superb hat-trick as Weymouth destroyed Worcester City in this top of the table clash at the Wessex Stadium.

City are supposed to be the Terras main challengers for a third place finish in the Dr Martens Premier Division, but Andy Mason's men made a mockery of that billing as they stretched their unbeaten home league run to eight matches.

And fans might want to say it quietly at the moment, but Weymouth are not yet out of the title race itself although it would need a minor miracle to catch leaders Margate or Burton Albion.

The day was a personal success for Robinson who took full advantage of a rare attacking role made possible after Lee Phillips failed a late fitness test on an injured knee.

Three times he found the target during a sensational second-half display with David Laws having got the ball rolling early in the first period.

But it was Worcester, playing their fourth game in eight days, who made the brighter start and top scorer Mark Owen was left to rue a good opportunity missed on eight minutes.

The lanky striker intercepted Simon Browne's sloppy back pass, but was foiled by a quick-thinking Danny Potter who raced off his line to clear the danger.

Home fans were forced to wait patiently for their side's first attack on goal, but it when it came in the 16th minute, it was worth it.

Jason Rowbotham hit a long ball forward which defender Chris Greaman completely mis-kicked, leaving Ian Hutchinson free on the edge of the area with just goalkeeper Denny McDonnell to beat.

But instead of going for glory himself, he unselfishly squared for the unmarked Laws to fire home his 21st goal of the season. Weymouth began to control things after that with Robinson twice going close to adding a second and Michael Dean having a wonderfully struck half-volley charged down by Mark Tucker.

Frustration soon began to creep into Worcester's play and it spilled over into their dug out when manager John Barton was ordered to the stands following a verbal attack on the assistant referee.

Ryan Cross almost added to Barton's woes with a header from a Matthew Hale corner that was deflected off the line and the outstanding Robinson was just millimetres away from connecting with Hale's ball over the top.

But City weren't completely dead and buried and Owen again will wonder how he managed to miss the target from eight yards out after Martin Weir had nodded down a floated Andrew Ellis free kick. Potter then pulled off a decent save from Mark Shepherd's deflected toe poke just after the break, but that was about as good as it got for leg-weary visitors.

The Terras were simply irresistible from there on in as City's already static backline completely disintegrated.

Having said that, Marc Burrow did summon up just enough energy to deny Hale reaching Robinson's slide rule centre on the hour.

But he and his teammates were nowhere to be seen a minute later when Laws raced to the left-hand byline before pulling back for Robinson to slot home his first of the afternoon.

Admittedly there was more than a suspicion of off-side about the goal, a fact pointed out by the furious Ellis and Carl Heeley who were shown yellow cards for their troubles.

Cross and Dean then forced brilliant finger-tip saves from McDonnell before Weymouth netted their third, ten minutes from time.

The brilliant Laws, who was a different gravy throughout, released livewire Hale and he picked out Robinson who let fly from ten yards with the ball shaving the head of Greaman on it's way past the helpless McDonnell. The shell-shocked Midland outfit did their best to regroup, but they were again flattened by the Terras express train on 85 minutes when Robinson beat a failing off-side routine to complete only his second hat-trick in a terra cotta shirt.

There was a standing ovation for the former Gravesend man when he was replaced by Anthony Tilley moments later, and the applause again rung out on 90 minutes to acknowledge another awesome Weymouth performance.