A FIRST-HALF hat-trick from AFC Sudbury’s Nnamdi Nwachuku left Maldon and Tiptree with Easter egg on their faces, writes LEE WITNEY.

The Jammers were beaten 3-0 in their Pitching In Isthmian League division north clash at Park Drive, on Good Friday.

Maldon manager Peter Taylor said: “We started very poorly and allowed a very good team to do even better.

“We were second best in everything that we did.”

AFC Sudbury started well and with just three minutes on the clock, Sudbury’s Harrison Chatting beat the offside trap and fired in a shot that was well saved by Rob Budd.

But a couple of minutes later, the visitors went ahead when Nwachuku nodded home unmarked at the back post from Josh Stokes' cross.

Nine minutes in, Maldon fell asleep from a Sudbury throw-in.

Nwachuku took the ball about 25 yards out and drove inside with the ball, unleashing a powerful drive and was only kept out by another brilliant diving save from Budd.

The Jammers finally showed some attacking intent with 20 minutes played.

Midfield man Sam Carter shot from 25 yards out and his effort was spilled by David Hughes, whose blushes were spared by his defence, who reacted quickest to hammer the ball to safety.

On 24 minutes, Sudbury and Nwachuku doubled their tally - and it was largely through the Jammers’ own doing.

Conceding possession form their own free-kick, the former Jammers man pounced and after wriggling free of his defender fired a bouncing shot from distance that clipped a post on the way past a helpless Budd, leaving the hosts with an almighty mountain to climb.

Just before the half hour mark, Budd again was called into action.

A long ball forward from Hughes put Sakariya Hassan through on goal, the Maldon defence just about recovered their defensive positions and after players from both sides had air swings at the ball, it eventually broke again to Hassan whose shot drew another fine save to push the ball away.

Ten minutes later and the game was officially over as a contest when Nwachuku struck again to complete his sixth hat-trick of the season and take his tally to 40 goals.

A free-kick on Maldon’s right was whipped in by left-back, Reece Harris seemed to float all the way in, but on closer inspection, Nwachuku just glanced the ball home with his head.

The second half began in much the same manner as the first had played out.

Josh Stokes missing two chances within three minutes to inflict further pain on the Jammers.

With 55 minutes gone, Egbri played in Harry Phillips down the left and he in turn laid the ball back to an overlapping Chris Gregan.

His cross into the box found Egbri who had carried on his run, but he couldn’t bring the ball under control and Hughes gathered.

As the game drifted towards a conclusion, both sides had chances to add to the scoring.

Stokes got in behind the Maldon defence before dragging a shot past the post.

Michael Salako nearly got the Jammers on the board, but his shot cannoned into the side netting.

Nwachuku nearly got in again following a poor back-pass but alert goalkeeping from Budd thwarted the Sudbury man.

Gregan's header dropped wide and that was the last of the chances, as Sudbury claimed victory.