http://www.leedsunited.com/news/20101116/ross-bags-hat-trick-in-reserves-success_2247585_2222616Ross McCormack bagged his first hat-trick in a Leeds United shirt as the reserves beat Hull City 6-3 at Elland Road on Tuesday.
The Scotland international scored three superb goals to signal his intentions while Billy Paynter, Andy Robinson, and Lloyd Sam also got on the scoresheet.
Adam Clayton, Sanchez Watt, and Ben Parker also impressed, as Neil Redfearn got off to a wining start in his first game as reserve team manager.
Given the free-flowing nature of games at Elland Road perhaps it was no surprise that six goals came in the opening 45 minutes.
The goal frenzy started after just seven minutes when Watt and McCormack combined well, and Paynter capitalised to open the scoring.
Moments later, Paynter was denied by an offside flag after a great ball from Clayton, and Leeds were playing some great passing football.
But Hull were back on level terms, following a defensive error, when Jamie Devitt seized on a cross and converted from close range.
The visitors should have made it 2-1 moments later when Leeds failed to clear a corner, but Jason Crowe blocked a shot on the line and Sam got a decisive touch as Hull looked to convert the rebound.
United were soon back on the front foot, though. Paynter went close twice before Sam latched onto a ball over the top and was able to slot past an advancing goalkeeper from a tight angle.
And it was 3-1 shortly after the half-hour when Robinson raced through the Hull defence to convert a great ball from Clayton.
That lead lasted barely 10 minutes before Robinson was bizarrely adjudged to have commited a foul and Devitt stepped up to convert the penalty.
There was still time for another goal to conclude a free-scoring half, though, and that came when Watt pulled back a Robinson cross and McCormack knocked the ball home from close range to make it 4-2 at the break.
The fifth goal came early in the second half when McCormack bagged his second of the night with a terrific free-kick.
But while the Scot was still searching for his first hat-trick in a Leeds shirt, it was Hull's Devitt who recorded the first treble of the night when he reduced the arrears again, to 5-3, following another well-struck free-kick.
McCormack almost bagged his hat-trick on 70 minutes, but was denied by the woodwork. And moments later, he cut inside to feed Robinson, but his shot was just wide of the mark.
McCormack went close again as he looked to add to his tally, and from the resultant corner skipper Richard Naylor was denied as United pressed for a sixth goal in the closing stages.
The hat-trick and the sixth goal did come, though, when Ben Parker played a delightful ball into McCormack and the Scot showed good composure to deliver a superb finish to complete his first treble in a Leeds shirt to secure a 6-3 victory.
United: Higgs, Crowe, Bromby, Naylor, Parker, Robinson, Clayton, Sam (Hatfield 60), Watt (Booker 85), McCormack, Paynter.
