Josh Mayhew hopes he can extend his Thurlow Nunn League goalscoring record when he returns to action next week, writes Alex Moss.

The Stowmarket Town striker is currently sitting out on the sidelines with a three-game suspension, after being sent off in Stow’s 2-1 win at home to Histon on Tuesday last week.

Mayhew broke the record for most goals scored by a player in a single Thurlow Nunn League season at the weekend, scoring a hat-trick to help the Old Gold and Blacks thrash Saffron Walden Town 5-1 at Catons Lane.

Mayhew now has 53 goals for the season, three more than Matthew Metcalf’s previous record haul of 50 for Wroxham in 1992-93, which had stood for 25 years.

“It’s a shame that I’m going to miss the three games this week,” the 26-year-old said.

“I would have liked to have played in them and hopefully extend the record more.

“I’d like to aim for 60 goals but obviously I know that means I’ll need to get seven goals in two games (Mayhew is away for Stow’s final two games), which is a big ask, but you never know.

“It’s great to get the record and I was sort of relieved a bit to get it done and out the way to be honest.

“Obviously with the sending off against Histon I’d made it a bit hard for myself, but it was probably the best response really, getting it over and done with in the next game.”

Mayhew joined Stow in the summer from higher league Bury Town and has enjoyed a memorable debut season at Greens Meadow.

The striker opened his account for Rick Andrews’ side with a brace against Felixstowe & Walton United on August 12, and was on double figures after netting four at Thetford Town in September.

A run of 16 goals in just nine games saw Mayhew move on to 29 goals by mid-November, with a 10-game scoring streak taking his tally up to 47 by March, before a match-winning penalty at Great Yarmouth Town on April 7 saw him notch 50 goals to equal the record.

Top ECL Premier League scorers in one season

53: J Mayhew (Stow) 2017/18

50: M Metcalf (Wrox) 1992/93

45: C Whitelum (K Lynn) 1950/51

45: M Blake (Norwich U) 2015/16

44: S McGavin (Sud Tn) 1989/90

43: J Hunter (Gorl) 1951/52

43: P Smith (Harwich) 1994/95