SRINAGAR: Real Kashmir FC’s Nigerian export Lukman Adefemi on Saturday scored with his head, his right foot and then his left foot to complete a perfect hat trick against a defiant NEROCA FC side in The Hero I-League match played at Kalyani Municipal Stadium, Kalyani.
Lukman opened the score for his side with a 9th minute header before smashing another goal, this time with his right foot, in the 24th minute to give his side a 2-0 lead.
The determined NEROCA side found its way back in the 29 minute of the match through a goal by their defender Varney Kallon.
Real Kashmir captain Mason Robertson then restored their 2-goal lead with a goal in the 35th minute.
However, NEROCA struck back again in the extra time of first half, with midfielder Khaiminthang Lhungdim scoring past Real Kashmir Goalkeeper Mithun Samanta. At half-time the scoreline read 3-2 in favour of Real Kashmir.
In the second half of the match NEROCA continued to showcase their attacking threat and were rewarded with the 3-3 equaliser in the 57th minute through left-winger Songpu Singsit.
With emotions running high in the high-scoring match, the Srinagar-based Snow Leopards showed their title credentials by scoring the winning goal of the match in the 63rd minute.
Danish Bhat found Lukman on a counter-attack and the Nigerian blasted the ball past NEROCA Goalkeeper to complete his hat trick and to win the game 4-3 for Real Kashmir.
Kashmiri-duo of Danish Bhat and Farhan Ganie played the full 90 minutes for RKFC.
The victory takes the Snow Leopards into second place of the I-League table, having raked in 13 points from 7 games.