A TEST of any good side is how they react to a setback, and Farnborough responded to last week’s defeat with a stunning display at Cherrywood Road on Saturday.

Burnham condemned Boro to their first league defeat of the season last week, but they produced a five-star performance to sweep aside Gosport Borough and get their season back on track.

Goals from Ray Spence, Mark Gamble, Neville Roach and two from man-of-the-match Rob Saunders ensured Boro of an emphatic win in what was probably their best 90 minutes of the season so far.

Boro boss Andy Clement, serving the last of a three-game touchline ban, opted to scout players in another match, but his side showed little sign of missing their manager as they dominated from the first to the last minute in a convincing victory.

Boro made four changes to their starting line up, switching from three centre-backs to a more solid looking 4-3-3 formation.

Nic Ciardini and Liam Pestle started in the full back positions, and Saunders and Howes returned in midfield as Boro dominated from the kick off.

Boro’s high tempo start, snapping into tackles and passing the ball quickly gave them a couple of early corners, and from the second of those they took an instant lead.

Saunders swung his corner deep to the back post and as former Boro keeper Simon Arthur flapped at the cross, Spence was on hand at the back post to head home the opening goal.

Boro went looking for more goals and Spence, Saunders and Roach all went close before they doubled their advantage after 20 minutes.

Roach brilliantly guided the ball into Gamble’s path and as Arthur committed himself in the Gosport goal, the striker stepped round him and rolled the ball into the open net for 2-0.

Skipper Dave Woozley then had a header turned off the line from another Saunders corner, before Boro stretched their lead further on 34 minutes.

Spence clipped a cross from the right into Roach, and he pulled the ball down and laid it into Saunders’ path as he burst into the area, only to be cynically brought down for a penalty.

Saunders and Spence tussled over who should take the kick, but it was Saunders who won that fight and he made no mistake, slotting into the bottom right corner for a third goal that was no more than Boro deserved.

After the break Boro crushed any hopes of a comeback from the visitors.

On 54 minutes Woozley’s shot was saved by Arthur, and as Gamble lifted the ball back into the area Saunders calmly side footed a well-executed volley into the corner for his second goal to cap a fine personal display.

Three minutes later it was almost 5-0 when Roach’s header was ruled out for offside, but Boro were not to be denied their fifth goal.

Substitute and debutant Wheeler beat three tackles and then produced a brilliant ball into the area that caught out a flat-footed Gosport defence.

Arthur raced from his goal but Roach was quickest to the ball and he dinked a header over the onrushing keeper and into the net to mark a miserable return to Cherrywood Road for the former Boro stopper.

The resounding victory lifts Boro back into fourth in the league, with a chance to go second if they beat Paulton Rovers tonight.

For a full match report and reaction to the Gosport game pick up a copy of Tuesday's Farnborough Mail.

For a full match report of the Paulton game go to www.farnborough.co.uk or pick up Friday’s Farnborough News.