Two goals each from Stefan Payne and Warren Mfula helped lift Faversham Town back into third place in the race for the SCEFL title at the expense of a lively if eventually overwhelmed Sutton Athletic.
After the previous weeks shock home defeat to Lordswood, boss Tommy Warrilow demanded a fast start from his side and Mfula duly obliged.
Sam Hasler then curled home the home side’s second from a free kick before Simon Walton almost instantly replied.
Mfula then restored the two-goal lead before the break and Payne then added two more to his impressive haul for the season as the home side eased to a 5-1 win.
Tobey Waller in the visitor’s goal was always going to be the busier of the keepers and early on he was very brave in denying a rampaging Mfula. The reprieve though lasted only a matter of minutes as the striker broke through and coolly slotted home.
Sutton were almost gifted an equaliser when home keeper Jacob Russell’s poor throw was intercepted by England Kurti whose curling effort did not clear the bar by much!
Waller was then called on when Payne and Kieron Campbell combined well for Campbell to test the keeper who produced an excellent save.
The crowd was then treated to three goals in the last five minutes of the half. Hasler’s free kick made it 2-0; Walton then almost immediately took advantage of a defensive misjudgement to reduce the arrears before on the stroke of half time, Mfula was allowed to run virtually unchallenged from the halfway to make it 3-1.
After the break, the home side upped the tempo even more and threatened to run away with the game. Billy Bennett and Payne both fired over before Payne practically walked home his 27th goal of the season to extend the lead to 4-1.
Bennett then flicked a header narrowly wide from Campbell’s free kick, before Nick Wood twice went close firing into the side netting and then firing over after being put through by Bennett, before it was Wood’s corner that was returned by Campbell into the danger zone that Payne hammered home to complete the rout and lift Faversham back into third place as the race for the SCEFL title reaches the enthralling final stages.
FAVERSHAM TOWN – Russell, Gorham, O’Mara, Essam, Wood, Campbell, Bingham, Bennett, Hasler (Hyde), Payne, Mfula
Subs – McIntyre, Kareem, Vincent, Briggs
SUTTON ATHLETIC – Waller, Orisatoki, Hasherni, Huckle (Sellard), Oladin, Daniels, Kurti, Brown (Omograi), Emmanuel (Banjour), Cox, Walton
Subs – McCourt, Odunguwa