KATHMANDU; Yogesh Shrestha struck the first hat trick of the Martyrs Memorial San Miguel A Division League Football as Samsung Jawalakhel Youth Club (JYC) defeated Nepal Armed Police Force (APF) Club 3-0 to register their first win in the tournament here at the Dasharath Stadium today.

In another match, Machhindra Football Club edged Ranipokhari Corner Team (RCT) 2-1 to leapfrog Tribhuvan Army Club for fifth place. Karna Limbu and Naresh KC scored for Machhindra while Sharesh Shrestha replied for RCT.

Yogesh, not fully fit, ignored his ankle injury and completed his hat-trick in the 31st, 55th and 72nd minutes to give a much needed win for JYC. APF coach Maheshwor Mulmi termed the match as a flop for the departmental side. From the bottom of the table JYC now climb up to eighth spot with one win and draw each and three losses.

Yogesh gave a goalline finish to Bijaya Dhimal's pass to provide his team the lead and the forward doubled the tally in the second half with a chip over the advancing APF goalie Sabin Regmi. Yogesh then cashed in on a blunder from the goalkeeper who lost his grip while foiling Raj Poudyal's long cross from the corner line.

In the absence of marking, Yogesh easily headed home in third goal of the match. Yogesh was called off the field soon after the hat-trick. The situation became worse for APF when they were down to 10-man in the 78th minute after Prakash Lama was sent off for his second bookable offence. JYC's winning margin could have been even greater had they cashed in on other goal scoring opportunities. Yogesh failed to score on an empty post in the 22nd minute and Raj missed on an one-versus-one with the APF goalkeeper in the 41st.

JYC assistant coach Raja Ram Karki said his team is finding the rhythm despite injuries to their four key players. “One of our influential strikers Dipen Shrestha is still not fit. If we have fully fit team, we could give a better performance,” added Karki.

Earlier in a lackluster match, Machhindra emerged the winners where all three goals came as a result of blunders. Karna Limbu gave Machhindra the 23rd minute lead close from the goalline after RCT defenders didn't bother to clear the ball thinking the striker was offside. Naresh KC then doubled the lead for Machhindra in the 28th minute after his weakly struck 35-yard shot dipped luckily into the nets.

RCT replied in the 69th minute from Sharesh, whose long cross from the corner line hit the cross bar and kissed the nets. RCT muffed up two clear chances on goal after Dipesh Thapa Magar weakly headed on a sublime cross from Buddha Lama and Bhim Darlami's powerfully struck shot sailed inches over the bar.

Coach Madhu Karki said his boys played with over confidence and didn't come in true RCT colours. “Our players took the game lightly,” said Karki. His counterpart Dhruba KC accepted both the teams performed poorly. “We didn't win because we played better. We won because RCT played poorly,” said KC.

Two of the lucky winners chosen from the San Miguel Fan Zone Aman Karki and Rajesh Khadka gave away the San Miguel Most Valuable Players trophies to Bishnu KC of Machhindra and Yogesh Shrestha of JYC respectively.