ONE down, seven to go! That's the challenge facing Joe O'Neill if he is to achieve York City immortality.

O'Neill has already joined an elite group of three players by scoring a hat-trick on his senior Minstermen debut, emulating the feat of the legendary Arthur Bottom at Wrexham in 1954 and a local amateur, known only as Riley, who claimed a treble in his first City outing against Midland League opponents Shirebrook in December 1925.

Perhaps surprisingly, Bottom only managed one more league hat-trick in four years with the Minstermen and another in the FA Cup.

Riley, meanwhile, scored four more goals in eight matches before falling into obscurity despite his permanent place in City's record books.

The main reason for Riley's disappearance was the goal-scoring exploits of Reg Baines (pictured) who heads the all-time of York City hat-trick scorers on eight.

Notable absentees from our top ten are proven goal-getters Billy Fenton, Keith Walwyn, Gordon Staniforth, John Byrne, Jimmy Weir and Albert Thompson, who all claimed two trebles apiece.

Jimmy Cowie's five hat-tricks in one amazingly prolific Midland League season in 1925/26 was also a club record and worth elaboration because the Scottish centre forward never scored a conventional treble.

The Keith-born striker netted a double-hat-trick in a match on two occasions, a nap hand once and twice enjoyed four-goal hauls.

His final tally for the season was 56 goals in 49 games, which is also a club record.

Updated: 10:35 Saturday, August 20, 2005