Chris Dickson's hat-trick sent Dulwich Hamlet top of Ryman League Division One South on Saturday.

The 4-0 home defeat brought Leatherhead back to reality with a bump ahead of their FA Cup trip to Torquay United on Saturday.

The scoreline was harsh on the Tanners although Dulwich thoroughly deserved the three points thanks to the power and pace of strikers Dickson and Phil Williams.

The breakthrough came after just 15 minutes when Paul Williams outpaced Leatherhead's defence and struck a sweet shot low past the diving Chris Gibson.

The Tanners' luck certainly wasn't with them on the night. Within minutes of the opening goal, Steve Sargent sliced his shot wide and the dangerous Marc Charles-Smith saw his near post shot skid across the goal and drift wide. Probably the most telling moment came when Stewart Holes broke out of defence and crossed for Dave Stevens to head down. Alan Hughes in the Dulwich goal had the header covered but allowed it to spill from his hands and round the post for a corner.

Paul Dickson picked up the first of his hatrick half an hour into the first half. a shot cum cross from the right evaded Gibson and rebounded off the cross bar. Dickson was the first to react and his shot found the net with Gibson stranded.

This scoreline did not reflect the pattern of the game but Leatherheads luck was underlined when, as the half drew to a close, Scott Bennetts won the ball on the left, found Charles-Smith whose cross met Gavin Bolger. The midfielder's shot was high over the bar and the Mole Valley side went into the break trailing by two goals.

The match was, effectively put beyond the home side very early in the second half. A cross from the right saw Kenny Beaney shot well saved by Chris Gibson but a sleeping defence allowed Dickson to convert easily. Three minutes later it was all over when the luckless Doherty was adjudged to have fouled Dickson in the area and his spot lick sent Gibson the wrong way.

With this cushion, Dulwich kept control and although the Tanners created a number of chances, they never had the breaks to reduce the deficit. With a shaky Alan Hughes in the visiting goal, Marc Charles-Smith, Dave Stevens and Lee Doherty might have pulled goals back but, for the Tanners, it was not to be their night.

Dulwich sat at the top of the league at the end of this match but Leatherhead can go into their high profile match at Torquay in the knowledge that they were not disgraced and, in future league matches, are unlikely to have the same diversions.

Despite the Tanners' intention to thoroughly enjoy their trip to the West Country, they will have little time for a break as they will be back in action against Molesey (away) on Tuesday night in an attempt to claw back the lost points from the Dulwich game and to re-start their league campaign.