George Purcell fired a first-half hat-trick as Dover Athletic brought an end to a run of four straight defeats with a drubbing of Bromley in Blue Square Bet South.

With the two Kent rivals both out of the FA Trophy, the league game was arranged and despite having lost their previous four games in all competitions, Whites flew out of the blocks.

James Walker lashed them ahead inside two minutes after picking the ball up 25 yards from goal and finding the top-corner past keeper Tommy Forecast.

Bromley had lost their previous seven games and looked short on confidence and, after conceding possession cheaply to a Glen Southam tackle and then failing to stop a run forward from Barry Cogan, they found themselves 2-0 down on 13 minutes, this time Purcell driving home a volley from the edge of the box after the defence failed to clear a cross.

Mikhael Jaimez-Ruiz saved a rare shot from Bradley Goldberg but it was 3-0 before half an hour was up, with Purcell again benefitting from some generous Bromley defending by collecting a pass across goal before firing past Forecast.

Four minutes later he claimed the match-ball when he was left in space at the far post and was allowed to drift inside before beating Forecast and secure the points.

After the break Forecast kept the score down with several good saves, twice denying Walker a second in quick succession.

It was Bromley who pulled back a consolation four minutes from time after Rory Hill strode forward and lobbed the ball over the onrushing Jaimez-Ruiz, allowing Hakeem Araba to prod home.

The win took Athletic up to sixth, three points out of the play-offs, though fifth-placed Sutton have played two fewer games.

Can George Purcell fire Dover back into the play-off positions over the coming weeks? Have your say below.