Ruben Rodrigues admits that seeing his Notts County team-mates score hat-tricks made him "a bit jealous" - and inspired him to achieve the feat himself.
Rodrigues was the star of the show as he scored all three goals in the Magpies' 3-0 victory over Southend United at Roots Hall on Saturday. It was the first hat-trick of the Portuguese forward's senior career, and took his goal tally for the season to 17 in all competitions, including 15 in the league.
The 25-year-old had already bagged braces against Barnet, Yeovil Town and Solihull Moors this season - but managed to go one better on the south coast. "It is a first career hat-trick," Rodrigues confirmed after the match. "(It feels) amazing, to be fair. I didn't know how to celebrate.
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"It's just a relief, not that I was looking for it, but it was a dream, to score a professional hat-trick. Seeing other players do it made me even a bit jealous - Cal (Roberts) and Jim (O'Brien) last season - so I'm very happy with the hat-trick, yeah.
"It was a nice moment. I know my family is very happy as well, I've had a few messages, so I'm a very happy man."
Rodrigues opened the scoring when he met Harry Arter's free kick on the volley to beat Southend keeper Steve Arnold. Kyle Wootton teed him up for his second goal, which he expertly swept in from 12 yards.
The hat-trick was completed when, after seeing a shot blocked, Rodrigues lifted the rebound into the top corner. "To be fair, that was the worst goal of the day," Rodrigues joked.
"I think the second one was very important, because they were coming on to us and had some chances just before that, so that was quite a relief to score the second."
On the opener, which cannoned against the crossbar before being given, he added: "I hit it quite well but the goalkeeper got a foot to it but I think it was already over the line, because he was behind the line. Then it just bounced up and down and I looked to the linesman and he had his flag up, and I was like 'my guy', so I was happy with that."
Rodrigues revealed he would be getting the match ball signed by all of his team-mates before eventually taking it back to his homeland.
"When it's a holiday, I'm going to bring it home and leave it with the other prizes I've got," he said. It's for the family, this one, definitely."
The match ball was a deserved reward for man-of-the-match Rodrigues and he was given a nine out of 10 player rating by our reporter at the game, Leigh Curtis, who wrote: "Head and shoulders the best player on the pitch. Great touches in tight positions and took his goals superbly. Worked hard off the ball too."
Meanwhile, Notts head coach Ian Burchnall joked post-match: "He turned up today, didn't he?" Burchnall added: "He was fantastic. It wasn't just the goals, but also the work-rate off the ball.
"He was a genuine talisman. This system suits him so well. We play with three midfielders and he plays at the top of them. He really understands that role. He took his goals fantastically. He brings a lot of energy and he is like that in training every day. That's why he does well in the games.
"Ruben fully deserved his hat-trick. I don't know if it's the first one of his career but he keeps saying finally so I am assuming it is. It was a stellar performance from him."
