Christian Assombalonga's hat-trick wasn't enough to prevent Waltham Abbey slipping back into the Isthmian Division One North relegation zone with a 4-3 loss Thamesmead Town on Saturday.

Defeat leaves Paul Joynes and Mark Cutler's men third bottom, four points behind Wroxham who have a game in hand on the Abbotts.

After a tame start to the encounter the Mead took the lead after 24 minutes. Harrison Carnegie cut in from the right-hand side before firing beyond the Abbey keeper.

It took the visitors just two minutes to equalise and things got even better from there as Assombalonga added a second three minutes after his first.

But a topsy-turvy game continued to provide entertainment as the Mead pulled level seven minutes before the break.

Paul Vines powered home a header from Carnegie's cross to send the sides in level at the break.

Six minutes after the restart the home side went back in front. Tommy Spillane's cross was only half cleared by the Abbey defence and Daz Gauti was on hand to fire into the bottom corner of the net.

Three minutes later the Mead extended their advantage further. Lee Prescott's inviting corner was met by Vines who headed home his second.

Assombalonga completed his hat-trick after 66 minutes, reducing the arrears for the visitors, but it wasn't enough to prevent defeat for Abbey.

Waltham Abbey host fourth-placed AFC Hornchurch on Saturday.