Agnelo Gomes's four goals, including a hat-trick, kept Vasco in the fray for the title as they hammered Hindustan Aeronautics 8-0 to score one of the biggest wins in the seventh Oil-PSU National Football League at the Nehru stadium in Goa on Wednesday.

Vasco, who led 4-0 at half-time, scored through Marcus Pereira (4th and 15th minutes), Agnelo Gomes (32nd, 55th, 56th, 58th), Menino Fernandes (35th) and Rui Wanderlei Weis (82nd).

HAL, who will be relegated along with ITI next season, came near scoring thrice but Dyanand, Xavier Vijaykumar and Sunil failed to get past keeper Rogerio Ramos.

With this big win, Vasco have 37 points from 19 matches and are placed second behind East Bengal, who are lead  the table with 43 points.

HAL have eight points from as many matches.

Vasco, who needed a big win to keep their hopes of winning the title alive, started aggressively and took an early lead through Brazilian striker Marcus Pereira in the fourth minute off a pass from Jules Dias.

Two minutes later, Marcus again scored after his goalmouth cross was deflected by defender Gregory Clarke into the net to have him lead the scoring chart with 16 goals.

After substained pressure Vasco increased the lead in the 32nd minute when a move by Jules Dias put Marcus Pereira into the box. Marcus dogged past a defender and the keeper and shot goalwards, where Agnelo Gomes gave the final touch.

Three minutes later, Menino Fernandes shot from the top of the box off a move between Rui and Marcus and found the net to have Vasco leading 4-0 at half-time.

In the second session, the Goans toyed with their opponents yet managed to score four more times.

Agnelo Gomes scored thrice in a spell of three minutes -- in the 55th, 56th, 58th minutes -- to add to his 32nd minute goal, before Rui Wanderlei Weis made it 8-0 and completed the rout.