Liston Colaco felt his constant urge to improve and prove himself on the pitch helped him score a hat-trick in ATK Mohun Bagan’s 4-0 win over Bashundhara Kings in the AFC Cup on Saturday.

After a tough first match, that saw the Mariners lose 2-4 to Gokulam Kerala, ATK Mohun Bagan needed inspiration and it was provided by Colaco who scored the first three goals for his team on Saturday.

Report: Liston Colaco nets hat-trick as ATK Mohun Bagan thump Bashundhara Kings to revive qualification hopes

Colaco stressed the importance of the first goal as he spoke to the media after the match.

Here are the excerpts from his press conference:

What is your reaction to the hat-trick you scord today?

To score a hat-trick is not easy. It requires lot of patience. I was missing something last season. So during the off-season I improved on it and I have got my first hat-trick of the season. To score a hat-trick you need to be calm in the box.

Who would you dedictae this hat-trick to?

I'd like to dedicate this hat-trick to my teammates. Without them it wouldn't have been possible. They have helped me a lot to get this. I want to thank my teammates but I want to dedicate this hat-trick to my family who have been there with me from the very beginning, in my good times and my bad times.

Read: We played like a team against Bashundhara Kings, says ATK Mohun Bagan head coach Juan Ferrando

How difficult was the first goal for you and the team as you were coming on the back of a defeat and things weren't going your way in the first few minutes?

It's always important to get the first goal for the team's confidence. Once we got the first goal, we got more confidence in our game. I think we have learnt from our previous mistakes. So I think in every game if your score first, it's better for you.

What is the secret behind your consistency in goalscoring?

When I was at FC Goa, I wasn't playing regularly. So whenever I got a chance, I I felt that I need to prove myself. So, that has kept me going. Whatever I am today, it's because of that. I need to continue this.

In the last match you played under very hot and humid conditions. Does the rain helped you this match?

Yes, the last match it was very humid and the climate and the rain really helped us. But the most important thing is the mentality of the team. We stuck to our plans and got the result.