Craig Parker grabbed a hat-trick as Needham Market thrashed Kirkley & Pakefield 7-1.

CRAIG Parker grabbed a hat-trick as Needham Market thrashed Kirkley & Pakefield.

Needham controlled the opening exchanges, but it was Kirkley who came closest to breaking the deadlock in the 17th minute when Bradley Barber was forced to clear off the line.

A minute later Needham did take the lead when Parker sent Nathan Stone through to coolly beat the advancing keeper Dave Attridge.

Parker doubled the lead after 22 minutes when his free-kick was deflected past Attridge and Rhys Barber could have added a third three minutes later when his headed straight at the keeper.

The third goal did arrive in the 29th minute when James Evans capitalised on a defensive error to score, before Parker was given too much time and space to score from the edge of the box after 37 minutes.

Ryan De Coteau turned a Parker cross in to his own net five minutes before the break to make it 5-0 and Parker completed his hat-trick soon after the restart when he converted an Evans pull back.

Kirkley pulled a goal back through Tarren Grint a minute later, but it was still all Needham in the second half and after a number of chances De Coteau eventually deflected Evans’ cross into his own net after 74 minutes for a final score of 7-1.