WINCHESTER City boss Neil Hards was full of praise for hat-trick hero Danny King after his side defeated Totton & Eling 4-0 in the Sydenhams Premier Division on Saturday at Little Testwood Farm.

King fired home his treble, assisted Dan Thompson for his goal and was in exceptional form all afternoon as he swung countless deliveries into the Totton box.

Hards was highly complimentary of the outstanding performance from the left-winger after the boss admitted that is precisely the style he wants his team to play in.

“None of the strikers got on the score-sheet, but both the wide players got goals and that’s exactly what we’re trying to do,” he said.

“King’s performance was first class, I’ve been here a matter of weeks and, from what I gather, he’s the guy that has improved no end.

“Every game he plays he give us a different dimension. He’s been absolutely outstanding.

“Today it came off for us and we were wonderful in all departments. Our one-touch passing was top class and we controlled everything from start to finish.

“I couldn’t ask for any more than we got today. It was great.”

From the outset King showed incredible endeavour down the left wing with Totton full-back Lee Thorne failing to deal with his direct runs.

His array of drilled, floated and accurate crosses caused havoc at the back for Totton & Eling, with Lerone Plummer, Robinson, and Chris Mason swarming the box to feed off the deliveries.

On 28 minutes King opened Winchester’s account as he connected with Mason’s free-kick on the edge of the box, turned with a deft touch, and fired home top-left past a diving Kevin O’Rourke.

Seven minutes later the Citizens doubled their lead. King wormed his way through a busy Totton box before curling the ball into the back of the net on 35 minutes.

As the first-half came to a close the home side had their best opportunity of the afternoon as Bill Puckett unleashed a superb drilled effort from the 18-yard area. If the box hadn’t been so packed it may have bulged the net. As it was Winchester cleared.

The second-half continued in a similar vein with King once again drilling a variation of crosses dangerously into the box.

And he converted his hat-trick with aplomb. A deft touch 15 yards out gave him time and space to curl a left-footed shot past the keeper at the near post to make it 3-0.

In an unbelievable game for King, he then assisted Dan Thompson for the Citizens’ fourth on the hour. His drilled cross found the wide-man at the back post and he simply had to tap home.

Hards was impressed with his team’s domineering performance.

“We said to them before we went out that these are the sort of games that cause upsets,’ he said.

“We’ve had to leave the dressing room in the right frame of mind and go out and do the job we want them to do. And they’ve done it, so I’m very pleased.”

The win keeps Winchester third, two points behind leaders Sholing – albeit that the Boatmen have four games in hand.

Totton & Eling, meanwhile, have dropped a place to second-bottom after Fawley AFC grabbed a 2-2 draw with Verwood Town.