 | CIS CUP QUARTER-FINALS |
Linfield are into the semi-finals of the CIS Insurance Cup thanks to striker Peter Thompson who has scored a remarkable 10 goals in three games. Thompson would have had five on the night but saw a penalty saved as Linfield trounced Dungannon Swifts 4-0.
'Pistol' Pete struck on eight minutes with a close-range goal and added another just before half-time.
Thompson netted again on 52 minutes after a Chris Kingsberry cross and got his fourth 13 minutes from time.
It has been a remarkable run for the east Belfast sharpshooter.
He scored three in the 9-2 win away to Institute on 24 September, following-up with another trio in the 7-2 home win over Coleraine.
The 21-year-old, who came through the ranks at Windsor Park, now has 14 for the season, having netted 27 last term.
His first goal was an alert follow-up after Kingsberry's half-volley had been parried out by Swifts keeper Gavin Cushley.
Then came the penalty failure, Cushley saving well from Thompson who had been fouled by the Dungannon keeper.
But Thompson got his second four minutes from the break, Kingsberry sending him through to score with a left-foot finish.
Thompson shot in first-time from a Kingsberry cross to make it 3-0 and then reacted first to an Aiden O'Kane cross to complete the job.
The last player to score three consecutive hat-tricks in Irish League football was Glenn Ferguson back in his Glenavon days.
Ferguson, who later joined Linfield, actually scored four hat-tricks in a row in Ulster and Gold Cup games in 1994 against Ballymena, Ballyclare Comrades, Cliftonville and Crusaders.
The draw for the semi-finals of the CIS takes place on 17 October, with the games scheduled for 8 and 9 November.
MMIX
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