HAT-trick hero Paul Baker was quick off the mark, opening the scoring after just 25 seconds.

Incredibly, it wasn't Baker's fastest of the season having already scored against Alsager with just 13 seconds on the clock.

Darwen's leading scorer grabbed his first after latching on to a great through ball by Denny Khan to toe poke the ball past Oldham keeper Will Stephenson.

The Anchor Ground side went 2-0 up after 20 minutes thanks to a cracking curling effort in to the top corner from Dennis Hill after Khan's intelligent run took two defenders away.

Stephenson then denied Baker a second with a breath-taking save from a wonderful scissor kick.

But Baker was on the mark again just before the break when Craig Shaw crossed for the 37-year-old striker to nod home in at the far post.

Baker made it 25 for the season soon after the restart when he completed his hat-trick after some good play by Jimmy Khan, making his first appearance in three months. Darwen's hopes of keeping a clean sheet ended four minutes from time when Adam Martin's wind-assisted shot fooled keeper Lee Purvis.

Manager Steve Wilkes said: "I was delighted with the performance and for Paul Baker who keeps banging the goals in. Sean McHugh also had a very good debut for us playing as sweeper.

Wilkes added: "These are the sorts of matches we should be winning and we have a run-in against teams we are more than capable of beating so we will be looking to finish as high up the table as possible."

DARWEN...4 OLDHAM TOWN...1