DYLAN Hart's hat-trick guided Worcester City to a comfortable 4-1 win at Lydney Town on Tuesday as Chris Cornes' men went three points clear at the top of the Hellenic League Premier. 

Hart thundered home two headers at the end of the first-half to add to Adam Mace's opener as City took a 3-0 lead into half-time.

The visitors took their foot off the gas in the second-half and Lydney capitalised when Lewis Thompson nodded past Haydn Whitcombe.

The hosts made City sweat slightly but Hart raced onto a ball over the top before firing across his body and into the far corner to wrap up the three points in the final ten minutes. 

READ | City boss Cornes praises "brilliant" hat-trick hero Hart after 4-1 win at Lydney

Cornes' men were chasing an eighth consecutive league victory on Tuesday in Gloucestershire and they looked in the mood early on, knocking the ball around nicely and creating chances.

The opener came after just 12 minutes when a free-kick from captain Mace was parried into his own net by home keeper Richard Thomas.

Liam Lockett and Elliot Hartley went close to extending that lead as City dominated the first 20 minutes, before the game hit a bit of a lull.

But with two minutes remaining on the half, the visitors turned up the heat and after Lockett watched his curling effort crash back off the bar, Hartley crossed the ball back into the box where Hart rose highest to direct a header into the corner. 

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And two minutes later, City had a third when Mace's inswinging corner was met by Hart, who could not miss from close range. 

It had the feeling of job done at the interval, but City seemed to switch off after the break and a ball into the visiting box was guided home by Thompson as Lydney pulled one back. 

There was an element of frustration from the away side and Lydney thought they had scored a second soon after when Charlie Powell found the bottom corner. But the offside flag saved City. 

The hosts dug in and looked to try and hit Worcester on the counter-attack, but the game was wrapped up 11 minutes from time when a long ball over the top allowed Hart to race clear before firing low into the far corner to complete his hat-trick. 

An eighth league win in a row moves City three points clear at the top of the table and they still have one game in hand over Corsham Town, whom they visit on Saturday afternoon in a mouth-watering top-of-the-table clash.