Keith Gumbs scored his second hat-trick of the season, including an opener after just 14 seconds as Kitchee thrashed Hong Kong 08 4-0 at Mong Kok Stadium yesterday. It was Kitchee's ninth win in 10 Coolpoint Ventilation First Division league matches and they also tightened their grip on the league by extending their points total to 27, a handy seven ahead of nearest challengers South China. 'This is my quickest goal, for sure,' said Gumbs after taking his goal tally to 10 for the season. 'It is a very good feeling as the more goals you score, the more confident you will be.' Gumbs, who now shares top spot in the scoring charts with South China's Tales Schutz, said Kitchee's target was now clear. 'If we win six more matches, we will be champions no matter how other teams finish. But if we are winning the league title we want to do it in style, playing some good football as a reward to the fans for their support.' Ken Ng Kin, chief executive of the football section of Kitchee sports club, however, remained cautious about their title hopes. 'There is still a long way to go in the league journey. If we lose one match and draw two others over the next few games, the seven-point advantage could be wiped out,' Ng said. 'But since we are playing quite consistently this season, I think we stand a good chance if we win those upcoming three matches.' Gumbs, who also scored a hat-trick against WoFoo Tai Po in September, set the tone with his opportunist goal virtually straight from the kick-off. Gao Wen sent a long ball into the penalty area, Gumbs' first-time shot was blocked and he lashed the rebound into the net. The digital clock showed it was the 14th second when Gumbs scored. Gumbs then headed home in the 40th minute and scored his third following a pass from Chan Siu-ki in the 59th. Wilfed Bamnjo put the icing on the cake in the 81st minute with the fourth. In the other match, Aldo Villalba Torres scored a late goal to give Lanwa Redbull a 2-2 draw against Citizen. Citizen led 2-1 at half-time thanks to goals by Ju Yingzhi and Delphin Tshibanda Tshibangu in the 15th and 41st minutes respectively. Zhang Yu's header in the 10th minute had put the Guangdong-based team into the lead and Villalba Torres pulled them level in the 88th.
