Rice picked up where he left off last season to net three goals in four minutes and 42 seconds to extend Dial's lead at the top of the Surrey Premier County Football League table.

Although, it was anything but plain-sailing for the league leaders who had 10 players unavailable for the trip to south London.

And it showed, as a makeshift Dial line-up, which included new signing Aidan Doran, struggled to impose themselves against the Green Army.

The best chance of the half fell to Ironsides’ striker Tag Rowe, who headed wide of the target on the half-hour mark, before Matt Leng fired over the bar shortly after.

Contrary to previous outings, Dial failed to register a single shot on target in the first period, prompting the need to change things in the second half.

Battersea maintained their pressure after the restart, with Adam Stillman going close when he riffled a shot across Andy Rider’s goal.

However, the introduction of James Vass 10 minutes in helped to shore up Dial’s backline and a provided a platform to build from.

No sooner had Vass entered the fray, Rice found himself through on goal, but was denied by Ross Jeffries who palmed the ball away for a corner. It was Dial’s first shot on target.

Jeffries then stood his ground well to deny Rice’s header following Doran’s looping cross into the box midway through the second period.

And Rice was left reeling seven minutes later when he latched onto the end of a great through ball from Olly Woolgar, only to fire wide of the target after rounding Jeffries on the penalty spot.

Just-reward was eventually served, though, when Rice opened the scoring in the 84-minute after coolly slotting the ball past the onrushing Jeffries.

And it was déjà vu two minutes later, with Rice again taking advantage of Battersea’s high press to net Dial’s second.

With a glint in his eye, there was still time for Rice to complete his hat-trick in the 88th-minute in a club record time, leaving the hosts to ponder where it all went wrong.

Speaking after the match, Brown said: "It was always going to be tough against Battersea, especially with nine regular first team players missing; and two players arriving after the game kicked-off due to heavy traffic en route to the ground.

"It was a pretty scrappy first-half; neither side created any clear-cut changes. If anything, Andy Rider was probably the busier of the two goalkeepers to break down a couple of attacks.

"I thought we were much better in the second half; we looked more self-assured and should have scored before Harry [Rice] opened the scoring. It's always satisfying to come away with the points you know that you are light on personnel.

"Harry's hat-trick inside five minutes was impressive. Moreover, the players showed great resolve to win the game, which could prove invaluable come the end of the season," he added.

DIAL SQUARE: Rider, Rose-Davies, Linturn, Phillips, Woolgar (Brown), Doran, Vassell (Vass), Goulter, Bricknell (Payne), Cenzano, Rice.

MotM: Harry Rice