Gunners hit Rams for six

12 April 2012

Substitute Emmanuel Adebayor struck his second hat-trick against Derby this season as Arsenal ran riot in a 6-2 victory at Pride Park.

The Gunners, 5-0 winners at The Emirates earlier in the season, made sure of third spot with a rousing second-half performance against the relegated Rams, who moved a step closer to being named the Barclays Premier League's worst ever side.

Arsene Wenger's side could count themselves fortunate to lead 2-1 at the break after goals from Nicklas Bendtner and Robin van Persie either side of a Jay McEveley effort.

Walcott was on target too, but the second half belonged to their Togo international who struck three times to take his season's tally to 30, with Rob Earnshaw grabbing a consolation in an eight-goal thriller.

The home side paid for some early profligacy in the 25th minute when Darren Moore's mistake gave the ball to Bendtner, who played a one-two with Van Persie before coolly slotting the ball into the left corner.

The Rams did equalise as Robbie Savage's inswinging free-kick landed on the six-yard line and McEveley reacted first to hook home.

But the visitors restored their lead as Van Persie had all the time in the world to chest down Kolo Toure's floated pass and volley home in style to make it 2-1 at the interval.

Theo Walcott's delicate cut back gave Adebayor the simplest of finishes in the 59th minute but Robbie Earnshaw hit back as he fired home from the edge of the area to make it 3-2 in the 77th minute.

Yet within a minute the two-goal cushion was restored, Gael Clichy pinging a pinpoint pass to Walcott wide on the left before the youngster cut inside and curled into the top-right corner.

Adebayor then grabbed another poacher's goal, sliding in to convert Clichy's assist with 10 minutes remaining before he wrapped up his hat-trick from an acute angle in time added on.

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