JOSH O’Hanlon’s hat-trick inspired a stunning five-goal blast inside 17 second-half minutes as ruthless Poole Town went top of the league with a Magnificent Seven against Frome.

Dominant Dolphins had only Luke Burbidge’s deflected opener to show for their first-half efforts but Cherries loanee O’Hanlon lit the blue touch paper with a cushioned touch and composed volley three minutes after the restart.

The young Irishman soon added his second as the hosts set about their scoring rampage with further goals from Michael Walker and new boy Mike Gosney.

Confident O’Hanlon lashed home his third with aplomb before Neil Martin scored the goal of the day with four minutes to play.

After a tepid start, Poole capitalised on a huge slice of luck to take a 16th-minute lead through Burbidge.

The tricky winger latched on to O’Hanlon’s well-weighted ball and hit a low shot which cannoned up off a Frome defender, leaving keeper Darren Chitty stranded as the ball looped into the net.

The hosts maintained their dominance and really should have added to their lead before the break with Jamie Whisken’s snapshot, a glaring miss from Luke Roberts and Gosney’s slip with the goal at his mercy tantalising a buoyant crowd.

Those missed opportunities were, however, soon forgotten as Dolphins made a flying start to the second half, swiftly doubling their advantage after the break.

Steve Devlin’s corner dropped kindly for Roberts and although the young striker’s lobbed effort came back off the crossbar, O’Hanlon was on hand to coolly net in a crowded penalty area.

Frome looked a spent force and O’Hanlon soon made it three, netting with a thumping finish after the tenacious Devlin had won the ball back in midfield to thread through his colleague.

And it was soon four as Gosney’s delightfully dinked free kick from the left found the towering Walker at the far post to overpower his marker and crash home.

The wayward visitors simply had no answer and a quickly-taken throw set up Gosney to turn and slam a swerving low effort across Chitty from the edge of the box.

Poole's landslide continued as O’Hanlon completed his hat-trick. Poole broke with pace and Burbidge slid a superb ball through the ragged Frome backline for the Irishman to coolly stroke past the advancing Chitty.

The hopelessly exposed Frome keeper pulled off a fine double save from Burbidge and Gosney to stem to the flow of goals as the game steadily began to peter out.

Gosney had another effort ruled out for offside with six minutes to play but the goal of the day was saved for the dying embers as left-back Martin took the ball in his stride, stepped inside and unleashed an unstoppable rocket beyond the despairing dive of Chitty.

Dolphins: Hutchings, Tallack, Martin, Walker, Whisken, Jermyn (Lowes, 66), Burbidge, Devlin, O’Hanlon (Davis, 70), Gosney, Roberts (Preston, 60). Unused subs: Lindsay, Manley (g/k).