‘Make their day special’: Adrian Segecic’s gift to Portsmouth faithful after maiden Championship hat-trick
Adrian Segecic spoke of his pride at rewarding Pompey supporters’ loyalty with his first hat-trick in English football.
The Sydney Cyclone’s treble put Stoke City to the sword today in his side’s 3-1 win, as the Blues signed off on the road in style.
A goal in the first half was supplemented by a double after the break, with the 21-year-old taking his shirt off in celebration in front of 3,000-plus delirious travelling fans.
That was a special moment for the Croatia under-21 international, with Segecic delighted he could give the travelling Pompey army memories to savour from their final away journey.
Mousinho said: ‘It’s massive. It’s my second professional hat-trick, my first at Portsmouth and my first in the Championship.
‘Harvey (Blair) came up with a bit of magic for the first to set me free and it was a reverse shot.
‘Then Murph put the other one on the spot for me. It’s just so good to have Murph back doing that, it gives the boys so much.
‘Then the third was just a bit of Segs, I guess!
‘When the third one hit the back of the net the celebrations just felt so good.
‘I knew what I was going to do and the celebrations were definitely worth taking a yellow card for.
‘It’s just so pleasing to reward the fans both as a team and an individual. I’m pleased I could make their day special.’
Segecic’s second professional hat-trick follows on from an A-League triple salvo for Sydney FC against Central Coast Mariners, in January of last year.
But the attacking talent was clear his maiden English treble supersedes that occasion, with his form flying as the season’s end.
It’s now four goals and three assists in five games for Segecic as his stock rises at the campaign’s finale.
He said: ‘It’s not easy to score hat-tricks in this league. First of all I’ve got to thank the boys, the performance today was unbelievable.
‘We just had to take the shackles off. It was the perfect performance and even though there was nothing to play for the boys still gave everything.
‘To come across the world and do something like this makes it more special than my last hat-trick. The boys have been saying to me it’s not easy to score a hat-trick in the Championship.’