The Gareth Bale show

Real Madrid's Welsh playmaker Gareth Bale celebrates all 3 of his goals in style as his first La Liga hattrick helped Los Blancos win 4-0 against Valladoid in Madrid yesterday. Photo: AFP

Gareth Bale struck his first Real Madrid hattrick and set up another goal in a thumping 4-0 La Liga victory over Real Valladolid on Saturday.
With the injured Cristiano Ronaldo still absent, the Welshman knocked home two rebounds and slid in the third for a perfect treble at the Bernabeu having also set up their second goal with a cross for Karim Benzema to head home.
It was only the second hattrick ever in La Liga by a British player, with Gary Lineker scoring three for Barcelona in 1987.
"His period of adaption is now over. He now is confident and doing well," Real coach Carlo Ancelotti told reporters.
"We are on a good run and playing with personality and consistency. I don't know whether it was our best game because recently we have been playing very well."
Real are third and three points behind leaders Barcelona, who visit Athletic Bilbao on Sunday, and second placed Atletico Madrid.
Atletico have 40 points from 15 games after a 2-0 victory over Elche with Diego Costa returning from injury to continue his fine scoring run.
Koke netted from close range after 63 minutes against a battling Elche and Costa struck 11 minutes later.
Di Maria hit the bar with an excellent volley from distance after five minutes and frequently delivered dangerous crosses from the left.
Valladolid played three in midfield with the inclusion of Fausto Rossi as they looked to provide extra cover for the backline but they could do little to stop the dominant Xabi Alonso and Luka Modric.
Real peppered the goal early on without luck, Di Maria having several shots saved by Diego Marino while Benzema and Sergio Ramos missing opportunities.
They eventually turned their dominance into goals after 33 minutes when Marino could only parry a Di Maria shot into the path of Bale, who headed home.
Real struck again within three minutes when Bale's cross found Benzema, who nodded in.
Bale grabbed his second goal just after the hour when Carlos Pena's clearance fell to him, and Real's world record signing scored his third late on, finishing off a Marcelo cross.
Earlier, Celta Vigo eased their relegation fears with a first home win of the season as they came from behind to beat Almeria 3-1. Fabian Orellana, Borja Oubina and Charles Dias scored for Celta after Suso put the visitors ahead.

RESULTS
Real Madrid  4 (Gareth Bale 33,64,89, Karim Benzema 36) Real Valladolid 0
Espanyol 1 Jhon Cordoba 31 Real Sociedad 2 (Antoine Griezmann 69, Cristian Stuani 88og)
Celta Vigo 3 (Fabian Orellana 26, Borja Oubina 49, Charles 59) Almeria 1 (Suso 10)
Elche 0 Atletico Madrid 2 (Koke 63, Diego Costa 74)
Real Betis 2 (Amaya 27, Joan Verdu 82) Rayo Vallecano  2 (Alberto Bueno 51,90+1)