Nasir Chowdhury struck the league's seventh hattrick to power titans Mohammedan Sporting Club to a comprehensive 7-0 win over a listless Shuktara Jubo Sangsad of Narayanganj in the Bangladesh League at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.

Apart from the treble of the former Army man, Abdul Baten Komol struck twice, Zahid Hasan Emily netted once and the other came through an own goal scored by Shuktara defender Sohidul Islam Dulal in the heavily one-sided affair.

It was a relief for Mohammedan coach Maruful Haq to see his charges win a match so convincingly without their key Nigerian players Alamu Bukola Olaleken and Emeka Christian, who were omitted due to 'sickness' though both of them scored in the previous match against Feni Soccer Club.

The 7-0 thrashing was the biggest margin of victory this season after Arambagh thumped Chittagong Mohammedan 6-1 in the first leg in the port city.

Following the omission of Bukola, Emeka and captain Arman Aziz, out of form striker Emily, Nasir and Zahid Hasan found themselves in the starting eleven and began to prove their worth. Emily, who was given rest in the match against Feni Soccer following his goal drought, returned to form with his seventh league goal and was also provider three times. Nasir became Mohammedan's second player to score a hattrick while Zahid played a key role in the midfield throughout the game.

Komol, who scored twice in the previous match after replacing Emily, once again justified his inclusion to give the Black and Whites a fifth-minute lead after availing a push from Emily. Playing as a right-winger, Nasir doubled the lead in the 13th minute with a gentle tap off a Wali Faisal cross from the left before Shuktara conceded an own goal in the 32nd minute when Dulal's attempted clearance took a deflection from Mohammedan's Komol and made it 3-0.

Two minutes later, Komol, set by Emily, struck his second and team's fourth goal to go for a comfortable break.

After resumption, it seemed Mohammedan would take the rest of the game lightly, but they pushed harder and demolished the opponent completely though Shuktara brought two changes to strengthen their backline, but they finally

could not avert the assault from the Motijheel outfit.

Emily, who remained goalless for five matches as well as nine successive international matches, finally found the back of the net when he rose high to head Zahid's corner to extend the lead to 5-0 and Nasir then struck his second goal in the 71st minute before completing the hattrick four minutes later with a superb volley from inside the danger zone.

Mohammedan now have 36 points from 14 games, four less than leaders Abahani while Shuktara are in the relegation zone with seven points from 14 matches.

TEAMS

MOHAMMEDAN: Aminul

Haque (MN Shakil), Wali Faisal, Ariful Islam, Nasirul Islam (Mofazzal Hossain Saikat), Hasan Al Mamun (Mamun Mia), Mamunul Islam, Zahid Hossain, Abdul Baten Komol, Enamul Haque Sharif, Zahid Hasan Emily and Nasir Chowdhury.

SHUKTARA: Rashed Chowdhury Raju (Al Amin), Sohidul Islam Dulal, Biplob Das (Mohiuddin) Rezaul Karim Liton, Robin Hossain, Idris Mutebi, Iddi Batambuze, Abul Kashem, Sujan Ahmed (Shahriar Abdullah Rintu), M Sohel and Mohammad Ullah Dalim.

Yellow cards: Komol (Mohammedan), Iddi (Shuktara) Referee: Azad Rahman