Lowestoft Town's latest recruit, Jake Reed, made himself an instant hero with the Crown Meadow faithful after his four-goal salvo helped down Carshalton Athletic.

The 22-year-old, who was released by Dagenham & Redbridge recently, notched all his goals in the opening 25 minutes with Lowestoft looking to have finally filled the void left by Jack Defty's absence.

Lee Smith also found the net in a scintillating first period from Craig Fleming's side as they produced the perfect response to their embarrassing 4-0 defeat to Bury Town in the Suffolk Premier Cup.

Rossi Jarvis also made his home debut and the former Norwich City midfielder impressed at the heart of the midfield.

Lowestoft got off to a dream start in the second minute when a quickly taken free-kick found Adam Smith free down the left and his cross picked out Reed, who glanced home.

It got even better in the 14th minute thanks to a wonderful flowing move. Curtley Williams raking ball out to the left found Chris Henderson, who spotted the run of Adam Smith inside the Carshalton penalty area. The full back got to the by-line before picking out Andrew Fisk, whose sliced shot fell into the path of Reed, who poked home on the stretch.

It was turning into an afternoon to remember for Reed and the striker soon completed his hat-trick with a majestic header following a fine cross from Williams.

Reed was showing signs of being the predator in the box that Lowestoft have cried out for since Defty broke his leg. And he showed all his nous in the penalty area in the 25th minute when he got the wrong side of his marker, David Bonsu, to finish off Lee Smith's centre.

With the game effectively over against an inexperienced Carshalton side it was a case of how many the Blues could rack up as they put the woes of the previous week behind them.

Adam Smith's free-kick flew inches wide before Lee Smith shot straight at keeper Dean Snedker after being found by Williams. But the former Bury man did get on the scoresheet before the break when substitute Robert Eagle, on in place of the injured Chris Henderson, tested Snedker with a fine drive and he could only push it into the path of the on-rushing Lee Smith, who finished from close range.

It continued to be one-way traffic in the second half and Reed had a great chance to get his fifth but, for once, he was off target from 10 yards after being found by Adam Smith.

It proved to be his last act with the Blues management deciding to wrap their new hitman in cotton wool and bring Michael Frew on in his place in the 52nd minute. The former Corby man came close to continuing from where Reed left off but his deft flick on the hour mark rolled agonisingly wide.

Lowestoft goalkeeper Ashlee Jones had been a virtual spectator for the contest but he was called into action in the 65th minute when he had to tip over Bobby Price's curling effort from the edge of the area.

- Lowestoft Town (4-3-3): Jones, Williams, Gleeson, Gaughran, A Smith, Fisk, Jarvis, J Ainsley, L Smith (S Ainsley 64), Henderson (Eagle 27), Reed (Frew 52). Subs not used: Okay, Jessup.

- Carshalton Athletic (4-4-2): Snedker, Price, Bonsu, Males, Hamilton-Downes, O'Toole (Rose 75), Odametey, Ashton (Murphy-McVey 46), Addai (D Smith 75), Bradford, Aikionbare. Subs not used: None

- Referee: Paul Forrester