TYNGSBORO, Mass. — The Brooklyn Italians left no doubt.

Thomas Suchecki scored three goals within a 29-minute span in the opening half to lift the Italians to a 6-0 triumph over Greater Lowell NPSL fc and to a spot in the National Premier Soccer League playoffs Saturday night.

Brooklyn (6-2-1, 19 points) moved into sole possession of second place in the North Atlantic Conference over Hartford City FC (5-3-1, 16), which dropped a 2-1 home decision to first-place Cosmos B (9-0-0, 27).

Vittorio Argeri and James Thristino gave the visitors a 2-0 lead in the eighth and 42nd minutes, Suchecki took center stage in the second half at Tyngsboro High School.

Suchecki made it 3-0 in the 50th minute. After Thristino struck for a goal in the 59th minute, Suchecki pushed the game out of the reach by netting a pair of goals in the 78th and 79th minutes.

The Italians need a draw or a win in their final regular-season match at Seacoast United Mariners Saturday to secure second place in the conference. That would allow Brooklyn to host at least one postseason match in the North Atlantic semifinals July 11. A loss or a tie by Hartford City FC in its final game vs. 10th-place TSF FC (0-4-3, 3) next Saturday would accomplish the same exact thing.

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.