RYMAN League big guns Dulwich Hamlet last night joined the scramble to sign Matt Russell.

This came after the YMCA hot shot fired an historic derby hat-trick.

Russell's high-class treble gave his County League side a first ever home win over their neighbours and left watching Dulwich boss Dave Garland planning an official approach for his services.

But Dulwich, fourth in the premier division, will face stiff competition from several Sussex clubs, including Bognor, who will host YM in the last eight of the Senior Cup as a result of this remarkable scoreline.

Russell, a former youth teamer at Nyewood Lane, has 35 goals to his name, but insisted: "I'm staying here for the rest of the season."

He made the breakthrough in the closing moments of a first half which Horsham had shaded when he latched onto Lee Butcher's through ball and finished expertly.

The second period was controlled by a solid YM side. Their hit man, who will be 21 at the end of this month, thrashed home an astute Andrew Price pass before sliding in Neil Vanson's cross for his hat-trick.

Boss John Suter beamed: "I love goals like the third one because we worked the ball to the byline and then cut it back.

"Matt will get the headlines because he gave us a cutting edge, but our second-half team display was our best of the season."

Former Horsham striker Phil Churchill completed Horsham's humiliation with a mis-hit cross which drifted inside the far post.

But the night was all about Russell, who said: "It's always good to score just before half-time and I thought we were superb in the second half. I'm not bothered when people come to watch me and just get on with my game."

Russell's only contribution for 44 minutes was to accidentally kick Gary Charman in the face when attempting an overhead kick.

Charman's departure with a broken nose added to Horsham's striking woes, given that Gavin Geddes was cup-tied and Steve Flain away working.

They would have been ahead by then but for sharp saves by Jason Dumbrill from Charman and skipper Matt Smart.

Boss John Maggs must now lift them from the doldrums for the second time in a matter of weeks, and he knows it.

He said: "This has shown me we need a stronger squad but, if we had a frontman like Matt Russell, perhaps our dominance early on would have brought a goal or two."

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