Brakes' leading marksman got two goals in the first 16 minutes and added a third in the closing stages. With Stuart Herlihy also finding the back of the net, this was a comprehensive Division One Midlands victory in what was never the fiesty derby some fans expected.

It was all Brakes from the kick-off. Bellingham opened the scoring with three minutes gone, racing on to a Jai Stanley pass and lifting the ball over Greenbacks keeper Andrew Kemp, who was off his line.

Bedworth struggled to cope under the constant pressure and conceded a second goal on 16 minutes. Stanley and Bellingham again combined, the latter poking in a quickly-taken free kick after he had been fouled by Ashley Pringle on the edge of the box.

The contest was dead and buried by the 22nd minute when the impressive Herlihy collected a loose ball on the edge of the box and smashed it into the net.

Keeper Kemp was on the ground following a Luke Corbett challenge, but the striker had won the ball so play was allowed to continue - much to the displeasure of the Bedworth bench.

With Liam Reynolds having failed a fitness test and replaced by the more defensively-minded Steve Palmer, Herlihy revelled in the extra freedom. Stanley was a considerable threat too until being replaced by Chris Murphy at half-time.

The visitors hadn't had a look-in up to this point and the goal they pulled back before the break proved to be their only real chance of the afternoon.

Pringle got it, beating the otherwise under-employed Chris Kiely at the back post after coming up for a free kick on 28 minutes.

Inevitably things calmed down somewhat after that, although Herlihy hit the bar with a powerful header from a Stanley cross as Brakes continued to run the show.

Keeper Kiely, now being watched by dad Dean following his media duties at Coventry's FA Cup tie with Chelsea, had little to do in the second half apart from collect a series of free kicks.

The game was slower but Brakes were still having the better of it, with Herlihy hitting the woodwork again from a James Husband pass with Kemp beaten and captain Guy Sanders having a header well saved.

Bellingham deservedly completed his third hat-trick of the season on 78 minutes, smashing the ball into the roof of the net at the Harbury Lane end after Herlihy had knocked a Cornett cross into his path.

Leamington: Chris Kiely, Marcus Jackson, Ryan Parisi, Adam Cooper, Guy Sanders (capt], Steve Palmer, Stuart Herlihy, Jai Stanley (Chris Murphy 46), Luke Corbett (Mykel Beckley 80), Mark Bellingham (Josh Blake 79), James Husband. Subs not used: Jamie Lenton, Martin Hier. Attendance 646.