AARON Atkinson plundered a sublime 13-minute hat-trick to fire leaders Merley Cobham Sports to a 4-1 home win over Weymouth reserves.
However, it was anything but plain sailing for Merley who paid the price for a poor first-half showing and trailed at the break to Conor Jevon’s eighth-minute effort.
Jevon put the finishing touches to a flowing move when he slotted past Merley goalkeeper Jamie Perry before the Terras missed chances to extend their lead in the opening period.
And they were made to pay when Stuart Cannie held off two players to level after 50 minutes before Atkinson took centre stage during a Merley-dominated second half.
He fired the hosts ahead with a stunning finish in the 62nd minute and killed off the Terras with two further finely-taken efforts to maintain Merley’s two-point lead at the summit.
Merley boss Olli Cherrett said: “We started the game poorly and Weymouth took a deserved early lead. We looked very sloppy and couldn’t get going.
“I was pleased to get to half-time only losing 1-0 as they had a couple of really good chances to extend their lead.
“The second half was completely different. We had spoken about lifting the tempo and pressing all over the pitch and the lads were outstanding.
“Stuart Cannie led by example and deservedly got us on level terms before the next 15 minutes turned into the Aaron Atkinson show.”
Merley: Perry, Gage, Mills, Dand, Cormack, Wrixton, Wilkins, Atkinson (Turner, 78), Stone, Cannie (Pritchard, 82), Goward (Elysee, 85). Unused sub: Randall.
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