National team striker Sabitra Bhandari alone scored a dozen goals as leaders Armed Police Force Club (APF) demolished Chaudandigadhi Municipality 22-0 in the National Women’s Football League on Monday.

The bottom club were only able to hold the 2017-18 and current champions goalless for the first five minutes, before Sabitra beat goalkeeper Anjana Thulung for a calm finish following a provider from Anita Basnet.

It then opened the floodgates at the ANFA Complex as the in-form departmental side were already leading 12-0 at the break, with Sabitra scoring five times and Anu Lama netting four goals. Anita Basnet, Saru Limbu and Renuka Nagarkoti were also in the scoresheet contributing one each.

Anita Basnet converted a pass from Sabitra to double the lead in the 8th minute, which was followed by Anu scoring twice—softly redirecting a pass from Anjali Yonjan in the 11th and a 14th minute volley. Saru made it 5-0 four minutes later when Sabitra beat the advancing goalkeeper at the edge of the box and set up Saru who shot through an empty goal post.

Anu completed her hat-trick two minutes later following a fine dribbling from Renuka Nagarkoti, and added another with a header in the 26th minute—before Renuka shot from outside the box in the 31st minute to make it 8-0.

Sabitra then scored three goals within three minutes and added another four minutes later. She brilliantly headed a cross from Preeti Rai in the 32nd minute, scored in a solo effort in the 33rd, controlled a hanging pass with a header before finishing off in the 34th and dribbled the ball past the goalkeeper before finding the net in the 38th minute.

By then APF had already had enough celebrating while Chaudandigadhi had given up, not even battling to prevent the biggest defeat by margin in the league this season.

The goal-fest continued after the break, with Sabitra scoring seven more goals in the opponents’ post, Anita completing her hat-trick and Anu adding her fifth.

The departmental side’s 13th goal came in the 48th minute when Saru beat the offside trap setting up Sabitra, before Anita scored in a counter-attack in the 50th minute. Sabitra then put a pass into the top-right corner five minutes later and added two more in the 62nd and 63rd minutes.

Anu found her fifth in the 65th minute when her right-footed shot was cheaply blocked by goalkeeper and Anita completed her hat-trick in the 67th minute riffling into the top left corner from inside the box. Sabitra then rounded off the biggest victory with her fourth hat-trick of the game scoring in the 72nd and 79th minutes and added time.

The win extended APF’s lead at top with 18 points from six matches. Chaudandigadhi are yet to win a game in the league this season and remain at rock-bottom with no points.

APF coach Bhagawoti Thapa said the team still had weakness.

“We played well today and scored 22 goals. But we still need to improve a lot to cope with other departmental teams,” said Thapa.

Chaudandigadhi coach Dipak Thapa said they conceded goals due to injury to their key players.

“We wanted to concede less. But we could not stop them from scoring because our playing XI are still battling injuries,” said Thapa.

Tribhuvan Army Club climbed to second spot after Sharmila Thapa’s hat-trick and Bimala Chaudhary’s double guided them to a 7-0 victory over Biratnagar Metropolitan City in the day’s other match. Rashmi Ghising and Bimala BK also scored one goal each for Army.

They have 10 points from five matches, two ahead of third placed Nepal Police Club. Biratnagar slipped to fourth with seven points.