MATTHEW BLINKHORN bagged a hat-trick as Sligo Rovers knocked eight past Galway United to maintain their lead at the top of the Premier Division.

he Bit O Red displayed their title credentials with a merciless display against their provincial rivals at Terryland Park to stay in pole postion in devastating fashion.

A first-ever hat-trick from Blinkhorn helped the visitors record their biggest-ever win over the Tribesmen, surpassing their 5-1 win over the Tribesmen from 1991.

Eoin Doyle got the rout underway in the fifth minute, getting on the end of Joseph Ndo’s delightful chip over the top to muscle past Stephen  Walsh and blast home from inside the box.

Paul Cook’s side doubled their lead in the 16^th minute after a sustained period of pressure, Richie Ryan’s bullet of a shot from the edge of the box having too much power for Conor Winn in the United goal.

Walsh was poor for Sligo’s first goal, and was at fault again when  the league leaders extended their lead in the 34^th minute. He delayed on the ball 10 yards inside his own half, and then slipped as Matthew Blinkhorn closed in.

The striker nicked possession and found Raf Cretaro outside, and he skipped past Paul Sinnott to fire past a helpless Winn.

The night became more difficult for the home side in the 36^th minute when they were reduced to 10 men, Eduardo Dusi picking up a second yellow card 10 minutes after his first.

Sligo didn’t take long to make their numerical advantage count, Blinkhorn smashing home their fourth from the right corner of the box in the 39^th minute, and added his second of the night, and his side’s fifth, a minute from the break following good work from Ryan and Alan Keane.

Blinkhorn claimed the match ball in the 74^th minute, Keane once again picking out the striker who fired past Winn for his hat-trick.

The visitors were in seventh heaven two minutes later when John Dillon, not long on as a sub, let fly from 15 yards, and his effort took a wicked deflection of Paul Sinnott to wrongfoot Winn, the goal going down as an OG.

The rout was completed four minutes from time, Keane going on another lung-bursting run down the right before picking out Doyle, who beat Winn at the second attempt.

GALWAY UNITED: Winn; Preston-Kelly (Gartlan 50), Browne, Walsh, Sinnott; Ryan (Cheevers 86), Murphy, Dusi, Kelly, Gilmore (Sibanda 66); Cauldwell.

SLIGO ROVERS: Clarke; Keane, Peers, McGuinness, Greene; Ndo, Ryan, Kirby (Powell 68); Cretaro (Dillon 72), Blinkhorn (Russell 77), Doyle.

REFEREE: Tom Connolly (Dublin).