AFC Croydon moved to the top of the table with this convincing win over Bearsted but it took a while for them to take charge.

The game started with Croydon the first to have a chance when in the 8^th minute Carlton Murray-Price 20 yards tried his luck but his shot went well wide whilst  two minutes later a through ball got Andy Hart free and he went into the area & saw his shot saved by Dan Burnett for a corner.

In the 19^th minute Austin Gaucheru on the left wing crossed into the area for Warren Mfula & his header was pushed around the post for a corner by Scott Andrews. Three minutes later Chevan Xavier latched onto a loose ball and his shot from the edge of the area was easily saved by Andrews, another chance went there way three minutes later as Mfula twisting and turning in the area saw his shot go well over the bar.

In the 29^th minute a ball into the area saw Mfula & Scott Andrews both go for it and the loose ball came down to Murray-Price but his shot from 10 yards went wide. Croydon finally got the goal their possession deserved when a long ball forward down the left wing saw Gacheru get it and he went into the area & saw his shot hit the post & go along the line and despite valiant efforts to clear by Rob Lyall and Sam Flisher , Mfula was there to slam home.

Four minutes later it was level when Jack Hayes long ball found Andy Hart on his own and as raced towards goal lobbed Burnett from 25 yards to score. A minute later Bearsted nearly took the lead when Mike Holliday’s free kick into the area found Lyall but his header went just wide.

The half time whistle went and the Bearsted manager would have been the happier as his side clawed their way back into the game while the Croydon boss would have been disappointed.

The second half started well for Bearsted as in the 47^th minute Flisher put Brad Webb through and from the edge of the area his shot was saved by the onrushing Burnett for a corner and in the very next minute Hart missed a glorious chance to but Bearsted in front as his header from 5 yards went wide.

Three minutes later Croydon went in front when Mfula raced down the right wing and his low cross from the by-line reached Gacheru on the back post & from 3 yards slammed the ball home.  Two minutes later and it could have been worse for Bearsted as a long ball forward found Gacheru who went into the area and was bundled over & a penalty given, up stepped Mfula but he shot straight down the middle and Scott Andrews saved it with his legs.

In the 56^th minute Mfula challenging Graeme Andrews saw the ball come loose and his first time shot from 20 yards went past the post.  Bearsted nearly got an equaliser when Webb on the edge of the area slid Keelan Mooney in & his shot from an acute angle beat Burnett but not the far post and it was hacked away. In the 63^rd minute Bearsted paid for that missed chance when Mfula received the ball, controlled it and passed to substitute Bradley Wilson who from 6 yards shot in.

Three minutes later and it was nearly game over as a bad back pass saw Mfula latch onto it, he went round Scott Andrews and his goal wards shot was stopped on the line by Lyall and cleared.  For Bearsted it seems that it never rains but pours as Matt Garner had to be carried off with an injury meaning another injury to add to the others and also they had used their three subs so had to play the rest of the game with 10 men.

Croydon were still pressing for more goals and in the 85^th minute a ball went loose and Xavier got to it first and his shot from 15 yards was saved by Scott Andrews. The game had had a lot of injury’s and the referee added on twelve extra minutes in which Croydon made Bearsted pay.  In the 93^rd minute Larry Boatens saw his shot from 20 yards saved by Scott Andrews but in the next minute it was four when Xavier passed to Mfula and from 10 yards he shot home.

As time was running out Mfula got his hat trick when the ball crossed into the area and he latched onto it & shot home from 10 yards. The final whistle eventually went and for Croydon it was celebration time while for Bearsted it is back to the drawing board.

Bearsted:

1. Andrews 2. A.Foster (73)   3. S.Flisher   4. G.Andrews   5. R.Lyall   6. J.Hayes (64)   7. K.Mooney
2. M.Holiday (69) 9. A.Hart     10. M.Garner      11. B.Webb

Subs Used:  14. O.Bartram (64)   12. N.Perkins (69)   15. J.Hughes (73)

Subs Not Used:  16. S.Sage  17. L.Matthews

Bookings: 5. R.Lyall (45+2)  2. A.Forster (53)

A.F.C.Croydon:

1. Burnett 2. J.Santos   3. L.Turner    4. S.Cooper      5. A.Brookhead  6.  B.Raynor (88)                  7.
2. M.Jenden 9.  W.Mfula    10. A.Gachura (70)     11. C.Murray-Price (56)

Subs Used:  12. B.Wilson (56)  15. L.Boatens (70)  16. W.Harvey (88)

Subs Not Used:  13. K.Mole    14. J.Guilford

Bookings: 8. M.Jenden (40)

Referee: Mr A.Stacchini

Assistants:  Mr R.Wadhams  & Mr O.Rule

Att 67