Sevenoaks Town 7 AFC Croydon Athletic 0

Match 110/17/1560 - Saturday, 31st March 2018 - SCEFL

Sevenoaks Town (3) 7 Ince 15 Pogue 17,84,89 OG 29 Edwards 71 (pen) Bennett 90
AFC Croydon Athletic (0) 0
Attendance: 164

Entrance: £4 Senior
Programme: Sold Out
Mileage: 46/7,497

Yet another postponement sends me to an alternative game. This time I chose the relative safety of the SCEFL's champions-elect Sevenoaks Town and their 3G surface. A mid-game downpour reaffirmed that this was a good decision, although eight SCEFL games made it to their conclusion with only three postponements. The fixture lists in all the leagues are now becoming heavily congested but the Football Association are refusing requests for extensions beyond 28th April.

The one-sided nature of this game made it hard to believe that in the early part of the season AFC Croydon actually led the SCEFL Premier but, as we enter the final month, Sevenoaks now sit 10 points clear of their nearest challengers Crowborough with the two due to meet on Easter Monday. But, with another shocking weather forecast, chances of that game going ahead are slim.

Sevenoaks went ahead after 15 minutes when Kenny Pogue crossed for Brett Ince to score with a far post header setting up a first half of almost complete domination. Within two minutes a corner from Billy Bennett allowed Pogue the easiest of headers to double the advantage.

Frankie Sawyer should have made it three soon after as AFC Croydon floundered whenever a ball into the box was delivered aerially. After 28 minutes, AFC's goalkeeper Francis Ameyaw made a good stop to deny Pogue with the rebound falling to Sawyer who hit a post the rebound from which saw Jason Thompson's shot well saved by Ameyaw.

It was a short, but exciting reprieve for the visitors as the subsequent corner once more highlighted their fragility in the air as Corey Holder's header was deflected in for an own goal.

Sevenoaks could easily have gone into the break half-a-dozen goals to the good but, although they added four second half goals, they were not as dominant in the second period.

It took a dubious penalty converted by Chris Edwards after 71 minutes to kick start the scoring again with Sevenoaks adding three more in the last six minutes.

A fine run and cross from Greg Benbow set-up Pogue for a tap-in to make it five with the same pairing teaming up for Pogue to complete his hat-trick with a header that took a deflection.

Bennett completed the scoring in the last minute with a mazy dribble that took him around the goalkeeper and half the Croydon team before finally deciding it was time to shoot.