St. George's Colts followed up their victory over Vasco in midweek by registering the First Division's biggest win of the season yesterday to move into third place in the standings.

Clay Smith notched the division's first hat-trick of the season to lead the East Enders against the league's worst defence which will now face a nervous week leading up to their next match -- against leaders Vasco.

With a cross-field wind giving them a slight advantage, Eagles were holding their own in the opening minutes only to see St. George's take the lead against the run of play in the eighth minute, the first of three goals in a five minute period.

Eagles captain Frank Smith conceded a corner with a misdirected long range back pass. Stevie Dickinson played the ball short to Derek Wright and from an angle on the left side of the penalty box he sent a scorcher past Cordell Gilbert inside the far post.

It took just three minutes to double that lead when a long ball down the middle by Wright for Jerry Laws resulted in a square pass across the penalty box for Smith. Eagles must have felt the threat was gone when he ran the ball back into the middle on his weaker right foot, but he surprised them with a right foot shot that smashed into the back of the net.

Eagles got in on the scoring act themselves in the 13th minute when Eddie Callender beat Troy Hall with a low drive after a cross from the right was not cleared.

Both teams wasted good chances after that as Eagles twice came close to drawing level while at the other end 'keeper Gilbert blocked Ricky Hill's path to goal after he got through on the right. Hill also went close with a header while Smith put a free kick from 20 yards just wide.

St. George's midfielder Marlon Outerbridge was replaced at the start of the second half after losing his temper in an incident just before the break.

Callender retaliated after a challenge from Outerbridge who reacted and then got involved in a heated exchange with an Eagles spectator which went on for some minutes.

Outerbridge never returned from the team's dressing room after the interval, with Duval Smith taking his place in the second half. Two minutes after the restart St. George's cushioned their lead when Clay Smith flighted in a free kick from the right side of the penalty area and, after it missed a few heads in the middle, Hill converted with a well executed diving header at the far post.

Eagles went to pieces after that as St. George's ripped open their defence with regularity. Goal number four came in the 51st minute after full back Phillip Bailey put a high ball in behind the visitors' defence.

It landed on Clay Smith's chest as the Eagles defence waited for the offside whistle and when it didn't come Smith carried on to place a low shot past the exposed Gilbert.

The points were in the bag after that with Eagles only threatening with the occasional counter-attack.

A good move in the 71st minute involving Clay Smith and Dickinson saw the latter shoot into the side-netting. Moments later Gilbert parried a Dickinson volley from close range over the top for a corner.

Just a minute later St. George's extended their lead even further when defender Neil Paynter got in on the scoring act with his third goal of the season. The ball wasn't cleared from a Dickinson corner on the left and Dickinson's second cross was met by Paynter who sneaked behind the defence to nod a header inside the far bottom corner.

Smith completed his hat-trick nine minutes from the end when Frank Smith was robbed by Wright on the edge of the box and he unselfishly passed to Clay who dribbled past Gilbert who was out of position and scored into an empty net.

Substitute Melvin Simmons wasted a good chance to add a seventh in the 86th minute when he shot weakly at Gilbert after Dickinson set him up.

St. George's: T.Hall; D.Bailey, N.Paynter, Q.Francis, P.Bailey; S.Dickinson, M.Outerbridge (D.Smith 46 mins), D.Wright, J.Laws (M.Simmons 61 mins), C.Smith, R.Hill (D.Minors 69 mins).

Eagles: C.Gilbert; W.Wellman, J.Richards, F.Smith, C.Williams; W.Iris, E.Callender (E.Wellman 58 mins), B.Saltus (R.Simmons 71 mins), S.Burrows, D.Minors, O.Riley (D.Pickney 76 mins).

Men of match: Clay Smith (St. George's), Stephen Burrows (Eagles).

Referee: Roddy Burchall.