The Thai League 1 outfit got off to a superb start, going ahead in the second minute when Denilson nudged the ball towards Tana, whose low drive rocketed past both the Eastern defence and keeper Liu Fu Yuen’s fingertips into the bottom right corner.

Their pace slowed slightly after the explosive start, and Ratchaburi’s next attempt came in the 17th minute via a tame 30-yard free-kick from skipper Thanawat Suengchitthawon, which Liu easily collected.

Denilson missed a fantastic chance in the 28th minute when Jesse Curran’s cut-back found him unmarked in the centre of the area, but the striker, under no pressure whatsoever, booted his shot into the crowd.

He did much better four minutes later, but still failed to find the back of the net when Liu dived to the right to keep out his blistering 30-yard shot.

Denilson paid his dues in the 39th minute, however, when Curran again set him up from the right, and this time the unmarked Brazilian made no mistake, calmly sweeping his shot beyond Liu and defender Calum Hall.

He secured his second goal four minutes into the second half when he picked up a lovely lofted pass from Scott Allardice in his own half, ran down the centre and drove the ball past the Eastern keeper.

Denilson had all the time in the world to slot into an empty net for his hat-trick in the 56th minute after some hard work by Njiva Rakotoharimalala, who rounded Liu before setting him up.

Eastern pulled one back in the 74th minute when Hall chipped from the right to Yu Okubo, who got to the ball just before keeper Kampon Phatomakkakul and headed past him from the goal line.

Ratchaburi completed their emphatic win when Ikhsan Fandi, who had replaced Denilson in the 72nd minute, volleyed home from close range a minute before regulation.

The sides will meet in the reverse fixture on November 5 at Hong Kong’s Mong Kok Stadium.