Dimitri Petratos scored ISL IX’s first hattrick as ATK Mohun Bagan trounced Kerala Blasters 5-2 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi on Sunday. Petratos’ treble helped the Mariners earn a brilliant win as they bounced back from their 2-1 home loss to Chennaiyin FC in style.

The home fans celebrated when Ivan Kaliuzhnyi put the hosts in front in the sixth minute. The Blasters started the game well and early pressure paid off as the Ukrainian combined well with Sahal Abdul Samad on the right before beating Vishal Kaith at the near post.

The stands were silenced in the 26th minute after Hugo Boumous sprinted down the left flank and skipped past Ruivah Hormipam before unselfishly putting it on a platter for Petratos to tap in the equaliser.

The game turned on its head in the 38th minute when Manvir Singh spotted Joni Kauko darting towards the box from midfield. The striker found the midfielder with a precise ball before Kauko smashed the ball into the back of the net.

In the 62nd minute Boumous played a beautiful pass through to Liston Colaco. The winger raced into the box and rolled it into the path of Petratos who made it 3-1 for the visitors. Florentin Pogba came on for Boumous in the 71st minute as the Mariners went on the defensive to protect their lead.

Nine minutes from fulltime a Kaith blunder enabled Rahul KP to pull one back. Rahul’s cross from the right flank picked up a slight deflection and slipped through the gloves of Kaith and nestled into the net.

Any hopes of a Blasters comeback were laid to rest when substitute Lenny Rodrigues pounced on a Jeakson Singh mistake and started a counter by playing it to Petratos. The Australian played the ball back to Rodrigues who put his name on the scoresheet.

Moments later, Rodrigues played an excellent ball to Colaco, who played it into the path of Petratos.

The striker tapped it in from close range to complete a well-deserved hat-trick.