'You've been framed' offer for Oldham striker Norwood

Not even during his 32-goal season for Tranmere Rovers in 2019 did he score three in one game.

Manchester City's Sergio Aguero, who finished with the same number of goals in league and cup, got three. A hat-trick of hat-tricks.

Norwood achieved the same feat in 2013 - two for Forest Green Rovers and one for England C that summer.

Try as he might there had not been any more before Saturday, but it was worth the wait. A perfect hat-trick no less, with a left foot, then right foot, then headed finish to put Tamworth, nicknamed the Lambs, to the slaughter - all before the half-time.

He had even demanded the pass from Josh Kay in his attempt for a fourth in the second half. Instead the substitute just bypassed his team-mate before unleashing a deadly left-foot shot past Jas Singh for his first for Latics. But it was a measure of the marksman's determination to make his mark on the side now that he has got back into it.

The Rothwell family were among the first to congratulate their hat-trick hero.

James Norwood completed his perfect hat-trick with a header (Image: Phill Smith) "Frank just said to me that they'll pay for me to frame it, so I would have probably just put in the spare room, but now it will go in a little Perspex box and, you know, wait for Frank to transfer me 40 quid," smiled the striker.

But although he was delighted with his own contribution, Norwood said it was a mere bonus in picking up more valuable points in Oldham's promotion push.

"It's my first hat-trick for 11 years, so I was due! But I didn't really think about it to be honest. When I headed it (for the third) I thought I'd sent it 30 feet over the bar and I just heard the cheer. I had to ask at half-time to see what happened.

"I'm just happy because usually I get two and then don't get another chance, so for me it was just a nice little bonus. If we win the game that's the most important thing, but if we can do both that's brilliant.

"I'm just really happy to get chances. We play really well, we create chances and I love to be inside the six-yard box, in and around the penalty spot, and it just fell to me (for the first).

"I missed a couple of chances in the second half with a good save and a tip from the keeper but overall it was a pleasing performance from everybody."

It was the first time he had been able to start alongside Josh Stones since the youngster's return on loan from Wigan Athletic. And it did not take long for the two to click again, Stones squaring the ball in the box for Norwood to shift onto his left and tuck neatly away in the 15th minute.

Will Sutton, starting for the injured Charlie Raglan, then powered his way into the penalty area and won a spot kick that Norwood buried right-footed, straight down the middle, in the 37th minute.

The visit of Tamworth was Latics' Remembrance fixture (Image: Phill Smith)It was 3-0 in first-half stoppage time. Jake Caprice put some dangerous balls into the box from the right all afternoon, and on this occasion Norwood beat Jas Singh at the near post to flick a header past the goalkeeper.

But it was not just his attacking prowess that stood out on the day. Although Latics barely broke sweat in one of the most comfortable wins you could witness, Norwood did weigh in defensively too with some key headers thwarting set pieces and big throw-ins when required, just as he had done in the FA Cup win at Tranmere.

There was aerial bombardment from the opposition as they looked for a late consolation, but Mat Hudson and his backline resisted to secure a hat-trick of National League clean sheets.