Republic of Ireland international Troy Parrott was back in hat-trick heaven on Wednesday night, this time for his club AZ Alkmaar in their 6-0 win at home to Ajax in the Dutch Cup last 16.
The Dubliner opened the scoring at the AFAS Stadion in the third minute before finding the target again in the 33rd.
The 23-year-old’s team-mate Peer Koopmeiners then struck on the brink of the break to give the home side a 3-0 lead.
And there was little reprieve for Ajax on the resumption, Kees Smit pushing his side four to the good in the 47th minute before things imploded for the visitors with a red card for Owen Wijndal, reducing them to 10 with over 20 minutes remaining.
Parrott was first to capitalise on AZ’s numerical advantage, completing his hat-trick on 80 minutes, before Ibrahim Sadiq netted their sixth on 88 minutes.
Republic of Ireland manager Heimir Hallgrímsson is understood to have been at the game in the Netherlands as he ramps up preparations for Ireland’s World Cup playoff against the Czech Republic in March.