Last year's runners-up, who have had a rather poor season and failed to improve their mid-table position in the Premier Football League, were inspired by a hattrick from Maksudul Alam Bulbul to brush aside heavyweights Muktijoddha Sangsad 4-0 in yesterday's match at the Bangabandhu National Stadium.

Majid Burjuga opened Russel's account from the very first attack of the embarrassingly one-sided affair but the winners could have left the field with a bigger victory had the Moroccan striker not wasted a series of sitters.

It was Muktijoddha's biggest league defeat in 13 years since their 5-0 loss to Mohammedan. George Kottan, their Austrian coach who took over from Shafiqul Islam Manik midway through the league, thought that his boys must have been tired.

"I am not concerned about the result at all. I am trying to build a team for the future. I have tried different combinations but today, they were not moving at all. They looked tired but I can't find a reason. I must give credit to the opposition," Kottan said after the humiliating defeat.

Russel, who conceded two goals in the last ten minutes to give away a 1-0 lead against Abahani in their previous encounter, were back to full strength after return of Moroccan captain Egir Moha-mmed and goalkeeper Biplab who served two-match bans. And they went ahead after nine minutes when Majid stabbed the ball into the near post with a header after compatriot Rachid's drop-volley on a crossfield pass by Tanvir came to him near the goalmouth.

Majid, who now has six goals, set up Tanvir two minutes later but the Russel winger miskicked the ball from six yards.

With the pathetic Muktijoddha backline chasing shadows, goalkeeper Aminul -- the national number one who returned after missing two matches through injury -- looked half fit and survived two close calls from Majid.

The lanky Moroccan fired the ball wide in a one-on-one situation before his weak placing shot past Aminul was cleared off the line by Belal in the 25th minute. But he made amends to his earlier gaffes three minutes later when he spectacularly controlled a left side lob from Egir and set up Bulbul who tapped home from a handshaking distance.

It should have been 3-0 in the 32nd minute but Majid, picked up at the far post by Tanvir, unbelievably nodded the ball wide of an open net from barely two yards.

The Reds brought another half-fit player Rajani in defence but Russel, who drew goalless with Muktijoddha in the first leg match that they deserved to win, went to the break with a three-goal cushion when Bulbul drilled in a low drive into Aminul's near post from 20 yards.

Muktijoddha made two more changes after the break, bringing Nigerian forward Jeremiah and forward Kanchan to strengthen the attack. But even switching to 4-4-2 did not give them any respite as Bulbul completed the league's fifth hattrick on the hour. Left unmarked inside the six-yard box, the diminutive striker placed a first-time left-footer into the net when he met a perfect chip from in-form left-winger Tanvir.

Russel, who pushed their collection to 18 points with five wins from 12 games, had two more chances but Bulbul slammed the ball into the side netting while Majid shot the ball straight to Aminul to save the Reds' blushes.

Muktijoddha, who remain on 22 points after their fourth defeat, are now under threat to lose their third place if Abahani can beat Farashganj in the last match of the 12th round today.

Yellow cards: Majid (Russel).

TEAMS
RUSSEL KC: Biplab, Aminul, Deen Mohammed (Pradeep), Jahirul, Yusuf, Hanif, Egir, Rachid, Tanvir, Bulbul and Majid.

MUKTIJODDHA: Aminul, Riad (Jeremiah), Hassan Al Mamun, Harry (Rajani), Titu, Belal, Pappu (Kanchan), Saiful, Arman, Paul and Amin Rana.

Referee: Abdul Hannan.