FC Clacton ran out 5-1 winners over Long Melford after a dominant and untouchable display - with Ben Sargeant netting all five.
The visitors struck first from a corner swung to the back post for a well-placed header.
But Clacton replied swiftly through Sargeant, who capitalised on a perfectly timed through ball and showed composure in a one-on-one situation to finish calmly.
Glory Longi almost turned the game on its head with a long-range strike only denied by an outstanding save from the Long Melford keeper.
But the visitors countered to force Finley Watts into a crucial stop as he stretched to keep a shot out despite being unsighted.
Momentum swung Clacton’s way when pressure in the box from a corner led to a penalty, with Sargeant caught amid the scramble.
He confidently stepped up to dispatch the spot-kick with precision as it crashed in off the post.
With the home side growing in confidence, Tyrese Miller’s pace and trickery on the left produced a dangerous cross, which Sargeant met perfectly with his head to make it 3-1 at half-time.
The second half proved a showcase of Clacton’s attacking dominance, with Sargeant at the heart of it all.
Miller combined with Manny Ikwuegbu to set up Dan Titilola, whose shot was parried by the goalkeeper straight into Sargeant’s path, allowing him to bundle in his fourth of the game.
Not long after, a clever move down the flank saw Ikwuegbu slip Sargeant into acres of space, and the in-form striker made no mistake, slotting his fourth to extend the lead to 5-1.
Arion Svarqa nearly added his name to the scoresheet with an impressive solo run and effort from distance, but his strike went narrowly over.
Clacton completely overwhelmed Long Melford with their attacking verve and intensity in one of the standout performances of the season.
Sargeant was rightly named man of the match after writing his name into the club’s history books as the first player ever in FC Clacton’s history to score five in a single game, cementing his place in club folklore.
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