Luke Brown hat-trick fires Stowmarket Town to the top of the league as AFC Sudbury lose first successive games

Stowmarket Town were only promoted to the highest level in their history in the summer but 17 games in and they are now sitting pretty at the top of the Pitching In Isthmian League North Division.

Visiting AFC Sudbury had gone into the Suffolk derby having enjoyed their own flying start but they were firmly put to the sword by the finishing of Luke Brown, who claimed a hat-trick in a 3-0 win.

Brown only arrived at Greens Meadow from higher-league Hitchin Town in early November but took his tally for his new club to seven in eight games in front of a crowd of 400 tonight.

The number nine swept home a counter-attack shortly after the half-hour mark before stunning the dominant visitors further before the break by getting a telling touch on Reggi Lambe's angled shot.

Sudbury re-emerged a shadow of themselves in the second period with a quick third from Brown killing the game off with only several saves from Alfie Stronge stopping it turning into a rout. But it was a miserable second return, following the FA Cup replay victory in September, to his former club for AFC Sudbury's joint manager Rick Andrews.

His Stowmarket successor, Paul Musgrove, made one change from the side who pulled off an impressive 1-0 win with 10 men at leaders Canvey Island at the weekend.

Striker Josh Mayhew, who had a cameo in Saturday's game, was deemed fit enough to start following a troublesome knee injury that has hindered his season so far. Erken Okay, who was sent off early in the second half on his debut for a second yellow card, was the man to drop to the bench.

Sudbury also made one change from the weekend, a 2-1 defeat at fellow top-six side Aveley, with recent addition George Purcell dropping out of the squad and Saturday's goalscorer Jake Clowsley starting.

Wide attacker Cruise Nyadzayo was serving the last game of his red card suspension with former Spurs young pro Roman Michael-Percil, who made his debut on Saturday, featuring again.

The visitors threatened first with youngster Josh Stokes sending a low effort straight at goalkeeper James Bradbook while Evan Collard sent his long-range effort wide up the other end.

It was Sudbury who made the brightest start but former Stow man Shaw saw an effort deflected wide while Clowsley pulled an effort well wide following a corner breaking loose.

The same player found his target in the 24th minute but it was straight into Bradbrook's hands.

But despite AFC's pressure it was the hosts who opened the scoring in the 32nd minute with a breakaway move.

Bermuda international Reggi Lambe ran strongly from inside his own half before feeding Mayhew whose low cross came off two Sudbury players before falling invitingly into the path of Brown to sweep home.

Twelve minutes later the visitors found themselves 2-0 down with Brown hooking in Lambe's angled cross-shot after their opponents had failed to deal with a deep free kick from former player Kane Munday.

Michael-Percil sent a curling effort wide while Marley Andrews' blazed wildly over from long-range with Sudbury's frustration at the somewhat unjust reflection of the scoreline becoming clear.

It was Stow who were out of the traps quickest in the second half and they increased their lead eight minutes in with Brown claiming his hat-trick by steering in a deep cross ahead of the attentions of Laste Dombaxe.

Mayhew almost made it four soon after but Alfie Stronge got a hand to his snapshot to push it away.

Willie Clemons then sent a fizzing angled shot wide of the far post while Munday's free kick was parried round his near post by Stronge as the hosts continued to threaten further damage.

A flurry substitutions from both sides disrupted the flow of the game with Sudbury finally registering their first shot of the second period 16 minutes from time. But substitute Lagshan Sivakumar's volley from George Keys' centre ended up going well wide.

The game was drifting towards its inevitable conclusion and there were ironic cheers as Stokes' shot found the comfortable hands of Bradbrook in the 84th minute.

Up the other end Stronge made a couple of saves late on to keep the scoreline from becoming embarrassing with the big home crowd enjoying the kind of night they could only have dreamed of at this level a few years ago.

Meanwhile, for Sudbury it spelled back-to-back defeats for the first time this season. It will now be about how Rick Andrews and Angelo Harrop's side respond when they host Brentwood Town while Stow will welcome Maldon & Tiptree as leaders (both 3pm).

Stowmarket Town: Bradbrook, Caley-Brown, Munday, Casement, Jefford (Curry 71'), Bullard, Clemons (Osei-Owusu 70'), Collard, Brown, Mayhew (Bugg 66'), Lambe. Unused subs: Okay, Clarke.

AFC Sudbury: Stronge, Keys, Andrews, Dombaxe, Grimwood, O'Malley, Stokes, Clowsley (Hipkin 82'), Shaw (Sivakumar 66'), Wall, Michael-Percil (Mayhew 56'). Unused sub: Smith.

Attendance: 400

SuffolkNews Man of the Match: You can't look any further than Luke Brown whose link-up play was as good as his finishing.