LUTFUR Karim’s hot streak in front of goal continued as Ponteland United Reserves won 3-2 at Wooler.

The in-form striker bagged a hat-trick on a day when his side needed it most, with several players unavailable.

The victory over ninth-placed Wooler keeps Ponteland top of the Northern Alliance Premier Division with 41 points from 16 games.

While second placed West Jesmond are 16 points behind with four games in hand, Kennie Malia’s Ponteland side have lost just once in the league this season, and scored 55 goals.

Malia said: “With a lot of players unavailable for different reasons, it was down to the 13 players available to make the long trip to Wooler. This was three big points for us.”

Karim’s hat-trick came just a week after he scored four against Morpeth Town Reserves. And the side’s player of the month for November demonstrated he has plenty of fire in his belly going into the festive period.

Despite his goalscoring exploits, Ponteland’s man of the match against Wooler was Jake Lynch.

United Reserves will host West Jesmond on Saturday in the league.