Berlin (AFP) - Harry Kane came off the bench to score a hat-trick as Bayern Munich thrashed Stuttgart 5-0 on a day of late drama in the Bundesliga on Saturday.

Kane struck three times in the second half to crush spirited resistance from Stuttgart, while St. Pauli and Heidenheim both grabbed injury-time goals.

“I always prefer to play the full game, but my job today was to help from the bench and as long as I can help the team, that’s the most important thing,” said Kane.

“When you’re going through a season like we are and playing so many games, the boss is experienced enough to know it’s not always possible to play the same starting eleven,” he added.

“The most important thing is that when you do change it, the level doesn’t drop. It didn’t today.’

Playing their fifth game in two weeks, Bayern rested several big names in Stuttgart, with Manuel Neuer, Harry Kane and Jonathan Tah all starting on the bench.

Vincent Kompany’s side still started strongly. Nicolas Jackson had an early chance, before Konrad Laimer opened the scoring with a delicate backheel on 11 minutes.

Stuttgart fought back before half-time, and were unlucky not to be level at the break after Nikolas Nartey’s headed equaliser was ruled out for offside after a lengthy VAR check.

Bayern rallied after Kane came off the bench in the second half.

The England striker doubled the lead from the edge of the area and Josip Stanisic whipped in a third 12 minutes from time.

Kane then added a fifth from the penalty spot after a goal-line handball from Lorenz Assignon, before completing his hat-trick with a late tap-in.

The 32-year-old now has 17 goals in the league this season and 28 in all competitions.

Bayern remain eight points clear at the top of the table after second-place RB Leipzig cruised to a 6-0 win over Frankfurt in Saturday’s late game.

Leipzig took the lead after just five minutes, Christoph Baumgartner setting up Conrad Harder with a chipped through ball over the back line.

The roles were reversed later on, when Harder broke free on the left to provide Baumgartner with a tap-in.

Baumgartner had a second goal ruled out for offside, before Yan Diomande struck twice early the second half.

David Raum added another from the spot before Diomande beat the offside trap and rounded the keeper to complete his hat-trick and inflict more pain on Frankfurt.

Elsewhere, Christian Eriksen helped Wolfsburg to their first home win in almost a year with a 3-1 victory against Union Berlin.

Wolfsburg had not won at home in 14 games, but stunned Union with two brilliantly worked first-half goals from Patrick Wimmer and Mohamed Amoura.

Eriksen orchestrated the third after half-time, pouncing on a mistake by Stanley Nsoki to race forward and set up Lovro Majer in the box.

The hosts then weathered a late revival from Union, who pulled a goal back through Nsoki before Leopold Querfeld missed a penalty late on.

Wolfsburg’s win was not the only surprise of the day, as Augsburg snatched a shock 2-0 victory over Leverkusen in their first game since sacking coach Sandro Wagner, thanks to first-half goals from Dimitris Giannoulis and Anton Kade.

Elsewhere, St. Pauli avoided a tenth defeat in a row with a 1-1 draw at Cologne, while Heidenheim came from behind for the second week in a row as they beat Freiburg 2-1.

Cologne looked set for victory after Said El Mala gave them the lead with a blistering counter-attack just after the break, but English striker Ricky-Jade Jones snatched a late equaliser with St. Pauli’s first shot of the match.

A week after they scored twice in injury time against Union, Heidenheim left it late again against Freiburg.

Patrick Mainka cancelled out Johan Manzambi’s opener in the second half before Stefan Schimmer found the net in the 94th minute to hand the hosts a dramatic victory.