CHRIS Bandell’s hat-trick helped to inspire Barnton to only a second win this season in the North West Counties League.

The front man’s treble arrived before the break, and he claimed a first after five minutes when converting a penalty after Ryan Malone was fouled.

Malone teed up Bandell to notch a second, this time with an emphatic finish after racing onto a precise pass.

A solo effort accounted for his third after he again reached a through-ball before a Darwen defender and skipped around goalkeeper James Whittingham to score.

Sam Houghton brought the best from Whittingham, then Bandell missed a chance to make it 4-0.

Malone ought to have done, only to drag wide his effort after the Villagers’ goal-scorer turned provider.

Darwen were reduced to 10 men when Callum Hoctor was sent off for a foul on Steve Warburton, who made way for new recruit Nick Newman shortly afterwards.

Barnton could not keep a clean-sheet though, and Ryan Steele slotted a penalty past goalkeeper Callum Shuttlewood in added time.

“We dominated from the first minute to the last,” reflected Barnton boss Steve Lloyd afterwards.

“That will give the players a boost, and hopefully they can take that confidence into our next game now.”

Darwen | Whittingham (GK), Wood, Brown (Cole 55), Drugan, McKenna, Lonsdale, Cassidy (Smallridge 86), Edwards, Fofana, Steele, Hoctor Sub not used Banks Goal Steele 90 (+3) (penalty) Booked Whittingham, Wood, Cassidy, Fofana

Barnton | Shuttlewood (GK), Kavanagh, Dursley, Hamid, Riley, Ford, Malone (Derek McShane 84), Houghton, Bandell (James McShane 87), Webster, Warburton (Newman 79) Subs not used Kiernan (GK), Will Smith Goals Bandell 6 (penalty), 17, 44 Booked Hamid, Houghton

Referee Ed Duckworth

Attendance 86