SINGAPORE - Albirex Niigata regained their position at the top of the S-League when they beat Home United 3-0 at the Jalan Besar Stadium on Friday (April 8).

With the victory, the Japanese outfit are back at the summit of the nine-team table with 14 points, ahead of second-placed Tampines Rovers on goal difference.

Atsushi Kawata, who was Albirex's leading scorer with four goals before yesterday's game, netted a hat-trick of headers to see off the Protectors.

Both sides were evenly-matched in the first-half and went into the break level.

But two minutes into the second-half, Kawata headed in Naofumi Tanaka's cross to put his team ahead. He then capitalised on poor marking from the Home's defence to head home two corners.

The result ended Home's run of two wins. They slide to seventh in the table with eight points.

In the evening's other fixture, defending champions DPMM thrashed bottom side Garena Young Lions 4-1 in Bandar Seri Begawan to move up to fourth spot in the table on 11 points.