Sporting de Gijon 3 - 1 Las Palmas: Antonio Sanabria hat-trick fires Sporting Gijon to victory

Antonio Sanabria scored a hat-trick as Sporting Gijon beat fellow strugglers Las Palmas 3-1 to move clear of the relegation zone.

The Paraguayan striker gave the hosts an early lead that was cancelled out by Nabil El Zhar shortly before half-time, and Las Palmas' hope of clinging on for a point were dashed when Aythami Artiles was sent off on 71 minutes for picking up a second yellow card.

It did not take long for Sporting to capitalise on their man advantage, Sanabria pouncing twice within the space of six minutes to secure a first win in five games for the Asturians.

Abelardo Fernandez's side move onto 15 points and up to 14th place, while Las Palmas remain joint-bottom of the Primera Division on 10 points, still without an away win all season.

The hosts made a rampant start, hitting the woodwork in the opening minutes, and it was too little surprise when they went ahead on 16 minutes, Sanabria tapping in on the rebound after Jony's shot was parried by Javi Varas.

Las Palmas found an equaliser eight minutes before the break as El Zhar stuck out his boot to connect with a cross from Javier Garrido and poked past Ivan Cuellar.

Sporting dominated the second half too but it took a second yellow card for Aythami - for a foul on Jony - to open the visitors up again.

Sanabria headed home a cross from Jony to restore the lead on 77 minutes, and the Roma loanee connected with the winger for a second time just moments later to seal the points.