Written by Dwayne James

Brunei DPMM  turned in one of their best performances of the season to clinch their first Great Eastern-Yeo’s S.League title after a 4-0 drubbing of Balestier Khalsa FC.

Paulo Sergio bagged a hat-trick in the first half before Rafael Ramazotti added the fourth in the comfortable win at the Hassanal Bolkiah National Stadium in Berakas.

DPMM FC came out playing with a good sense of urgency and got right on the attack from kick-off.

Azwan Ali broke down the left and got inside the box just 30 seconds into the game, but his shot was too weak to trouble Balestier goalkeeper Zaiful Nizam.

The hosts broke the deadlock in the 13th minute after Sergio’s shot from inside the box took a deflection off Emir Lotinac and flew past Zaiful.

The lead was doubled five minutes later after Ramazotti sent Sergio through on goal. The Portuguese forward saw Zaiful way off his line and cleverly chipped him for his second of the match.

Azwan Ali tormented the Balestier defence and got the better of four markers in the 27th minute. However, he overhit his pass for Ramazotti, allowing Zaiful to collect the ball.

Balestier should have pulled a goal back on the half hour mark after Ignatius Ang fired from 12 yards out but DPMM custodian Wardun Yussof produced a good save.

Ramazotti was then sent through on goal in first-half injury time and he rounded Zaiful for Sergio to blast it home to give the Wasps a 3-0 lead.

The Portuguese forward could have added to his tally just two minutes after the interval but his shot from the edge of the box went straight to Zaiful.

Balestier got forward in the 52nd minute with Ang squaring the ball for Miroslav Kristic, but the latter couldn’t put enough power on his shot to test Wardun.

The Tigers were let off the hook four minutes later when Ramazotti was all set to fire from close range but the ball was cleared by a Tigers’ defender in the nick of time.

Maududi Hilmi had two chances in the 73rd and 81st minutes but both his attempts from the edge of the box went over.

DPMM FC added to the scoresheet in the 86th minute with Sergio finding space on the right before sending the ball down the middle for Ramazotti to bulge the net – for the 21^st time this season to finish as the league’s topscorer.

Brunei DPMM FC: Wardun Yussof, Helmi Zambin, Boris Raspudic, Brian McLean, Sairol Sahari (Azwan Saleh 81′), Rosmin Kamis, Maududi Hilmi (Aminuddin Zakwan 87′), Joe Gamble, Paulo Sergio (Hendra Azam 90′), Azwan Ali, Rafael Ramazotti

Balestier Khalsa: Zaiful Nizam, Hanafi Salleh, Emir Lotinac, Igor Cerina, Yusiskandar Yusop, Zulkiffli Hassim (Hazzuwan Halim 60′), Ridwan Jamil (Poh Yi Feng 58′), Tarik Cmajcanin, Ignatius Ang (Fadhil Noh 61′), Miroslav Kristic, Robert Pericic