Belgian First Division wrap: Anderlecht thrash Mechelen

3 November 2012 23:15

Tom De Sutter netted a hat-trick as defending Belgian First Division champions Anderlecht cruised to a comfortable 4-1 win over Mechelen.

Anderlecht trounced Gent 5-0 in their previous league fixture and they were on track for another big victory when Cheikhou Kouyate and De Sutter scored before half-time on Saturday.

De Sutter added a third for the visitors seven minutes into the second half but Nicklas Pedersen gave Mechelen some hope with an 80th-minute strike.

However, Belgian striker De Sutter completed the scoring and bagged his hat-trick deep into injury time.

Anderlecht are three points clear at the summit with second-placed Zulte-Waregem scheduled to face out-of-sorts Club Brugge on Sunday.

Genk sit third after inflicting a 2-1 defeat on Gent at Jules Ottenstadion.

Israeli front man Elyaniv Barda netted his first goal of the season after 17 minutes and Glynor Plet seemed to have put the result beyond doubt in the 70th minute.

But substitute Alioune Soumahoro set up a nervy finish with a goal five minutes from time.

Lokeren made it four wins in succession with a routine 2-0 victory over Sporting Charleroi thanks to goals from Ayanda Patosi and Milos Maric.

Peter Maes' team are fourth and level on points with Kortrijk, who hammered lowly Lierse 4-1.

Elsewhere on Saturday, Mons overcame cellar-dwellers Cercle Brugge 3-2, while relegation candidates Waasland-Beveren ended a six game winless streak by beating Beerschot 2-1.