Christie bags a treble as AFC hammer Wembley

A hat-trick for BJ Christie, his second of the season, saw AFC progress to the second Round of the Challenge Trophy on Tuesday night.

Christie took his tally to 14 for the campaign already as AFC made short work of their opponents to set up a tie at Cockfosters in the next round.

The hosts had the lead on just two minutes when a defence splitting pass from Danny Jones picked out Christie who rounded the keeper to score from a very tight angle.

As last season, Wembley still like to play the passing game and tonight was no different.

They carved out their first chance with 21 minutes gone, after some neat inter-play only for the final shot to go wide.

AFC then went straight up the other end as a deflected strike by Christie just went past the upright, while when Leon Cashman’s effort from distance was parried, Josh Humbert couldn’t convert the rebound.

It was 2-0 on half an hour though as a mistake from the centre half saw Christie latched on to the ball and rifle home.

Humbert’s header was just to high before the break, but in the second period, AFC added a third on 48 minutes when Cashman robbed the Wembley keeper and teed up Christie for his treble.

Boss Steve Heath made three changes on the hour, although AFC still went in search of more goals, with the fourth arriving on 62 minutes when sub Roy Byron set up fellow replacement Brandon Carney to find the net.

Wembley did pull a goal back in bizarre circumstance with 14 minutes as Fabio Bufano was clearly fouled only for the referee to wave play on and the visitors’ strike went on to beat Gary Malone.

AFC: Malone, Massay, N Carney, Griffiths, Bufano, Griffith, Jones, Olaleye, Cashman, Humbert, Christie.

Subs used: Byron, Baird, B Carney. Subs not used: Beck, Ryan.

Attendance 52.