Rochdale top scorer Scott Hogan scored a sublime 16 minute hat-trick in a 3-0 at AFC Wimbledon on Saturday to move his side to fourth in League Two and just a point off automatic promotion.
Hogan’s treble took his personal tally for the season to 15 in all competitions.
The pick of the three was a delicate lob to seal his hat-trick which manager Keith Hill described as ‘exquisite’.
In tribute to Hogan, MM takes a look back at five more classic Dale hat-tricks from yesteryear.
5. Reg Jenkins v Grimsby Town, January 4th 1969
The gentle giant from Cornwall had a field day netting three times in the 6-1 demolition of a Grimsby side who would go on to finish 23rd in the Fourth Division that season.
Dale meanwhile went on to finish third to claim promotion and have only repeated the feat once since, in 2010.
Jenkins is still Dale’s record goalscorer with 119 goals in 305 appearances, and has been voted the clubs best ever player by the fans.
This hat-trick was one of four for Jenkins, who died aged 74 in January of last year.
4. Adam Le Fondre v Barnet, November 18th 2008
Dale were 2-0 down in the first 20 minutes of this FA Cup first round replay and in danger of being embarrassed by Barnet on home turf.
Step forward Adam Le Fondre.
Two second half strikes from the forward sent the game to extra time before he delicately chipped home his third from an acute angle in the 105th minute to complete the turnaround.
Now at Reading, Le Fondre is one of several Dale strikers who have gone on to play in the Premier League and showed as recently as last month that he has not lost his taste for trebles, hitting two hat-tricks as his side beat Bolton 7-1 and then thrashed Blackpool 5-1.
3. Joe Thompson v Aldershot, January 31st 2009
Thompson inspired a scintillating first half display from Keith Hill’s side as they raced into a 4-0 interval lead at Aldershot.
The winger’s hat-trick was comprised of two headers and even though the home side pulled two goals back in the second period, a 4-2 victory was enough to move Dale into the play-off places at the time.
Thompson is now at Tranmere Rovers but is currently undergoing chemotherapy after sadly being diagnosed with cancer last November.
2. Chris Dagnall v Macclesfield Town, April 21st 2007
Dagnall helped secure local bragging rights as Dale destroyed the Silkmen, who were managed by former England midfielder Paul Ince, with three goals in the final 26 minutes of the first half.
The pick of the bunch was an intelligent lob over onrushing Macclesfield goalkeeper Tommy Lee.
Keith Hill’s men went on to win 5-0 with Glenn Murray, now of Crystal Palace, adding two more after half time.
Dagnall last month joined League One promotion contenders Leyton Orient and came off the bench to score two on his debut in a 2-1 win at Crewe Alexandra.
1. Chris O’Grady v Cheltenham Town, January 23rd 2010
The prolific O’Grady led the way as Dale swaggered to a 4-1 victory away at Cheltenham, opening the scoring with a ferocious left-footed strike.
He then capitalised on a goalkeeping error for the second and raced through on goal to convert in injury time to complete the rout.
The result sent Keith Hill’s side nine points clear at the top of League Two and they went on to secure their first promotion in 41 years the following May, eventually finishing third.
O’Grady contribution of 22 league goals went some way into securing promotion.
Picture courtesy of Rochdale AFC, with thanks.
