Seventh heaven for AFC as Hall hits a hat-trick

The visitors made a lightning start, as BJ Christie opened the scoring after only five minutes when keeper Connor Beattie misjudged the bounce allowing the AFC striker to tap into an empty net.

Christie had a big hand in the visitors’ second when his cross was redirected into his own goal by Matt Andrews.

It was 3-0 after 13 minutes too when Jermaine Hall raced clear and coolly beat the keeper.

Hall should have had his second moments later, heading over Nathan Frater’s cross, while the Rams almost pulled one back as a ball in reared up off the bobbly surface and nearly took AFC’s Garry Malone by surprise.

With half time approaching, the visitors notched two goals in a minute as Terry Griffiths slotted home at the far post, then Hall got his second after good work by Christie.

With the game won, it was now a case of coming away unscathed on the injury front, as visiting boss Steve Heath decided to make a few changes.

On the hour Christie thought he had scored his second goal, but his effort hit a divot and flew over.

AFC did score again on 75 minutes, a neat move involving sub Adiel Mannion and Christie saw Hall completed his hat-trick and make it 29 league goals for the season.

The rout was completed in stoppage time when Newman Carney’s cross was stabbed home by his brother Brandon to make it seven.

AFC face Dunstable Town in the Beds Senior Cup final this evening and host Egham Town on Saturday.

AFC: Malone, Massay, Murphy (Byron 55), Griffiths, Morgan, N Carney, Frater, Olaleye (Mannion 66), Christie (B Carney 77), Humbert, Hall.

Sub not used: Cashman.