AFC Sudbury's Nnamdi Nwachuku overtakes Sam Banya's 39 league goal record for a single campaign

Nnamdi Nwachuku’s sixth hat-trick of the season in AFC Sudbury’s 3-0 win at Maldon & Tiptree on Friday ensured the Nigerian-born striker wrote his name into club history.

His third goal came in the 39th minute to complete a treble inside 34 first-half minutes to sew up the away victory against the side now managed by former England boss Peter Taylor.

But it was that glancing header from Reece Harris’ free kick which saw the 28-year-old match Sam Banya’s record high of 40 league goals in a single campaign in 2001/02.

It stretched his career best season total, previously 44 from 34 appearances with Coggeshall Town in Step 6, to 46 from 40 competitive outings since joining from fellow Step 4 outfit Marlow in the summer.

Nwachuku, who commutes to the club from Reading, then added another to his incredible tally to set a new record with the last goal in a 3-0 home win against relegation-threatened Coggeshall Town on Easter Monday - taking him to 41 in the league and 47 from 41 games in all competitions. But he still has several more to get, with two league games and possibly two play-off matches to go, to eclipse Banya's 50 total in all competitions in that stellar season at the start of the century.

Incredibly, club historian Darren Witt says Stanley Head scored 80 goals for Sudbury Town in 1930/31.

Of breaking Banya’s league campaign record with his hat-trick goal on Friday, manager Rick Andrews said: “He was not too happy I took him off as we got a penalty a few minutes later, but he’s a typical goalscorer so that’s what you expect.

“Having said that, he would be the first to say he is in a very good team but he has the knack of being in the right place at the right time which is a talent in itself."

See what Nwachuku said following passing the 40-goal mark for the season here.

Friday’s win ensured Sudbury will have home advantage as the second-placed side in the Pitching In Isthmian League North Division play-offs. Hashtag now require just a point from two games for the title.

Saturday sees Brentwood Town visit in their final home game of the regular season ahead of a trip to Great Wakering Rovers seven days later.