Coming into the game, Sevenoaks Town knew that if the beat Merstham they would go equal top of the Isthmian League South East Division.

However, the Moatsiders had other ideas and the three points that they won moved them up to third place while the hosts dropped down to seventh.

In pretty miserable playing conditions, both teams struggled to put any passing moves together. Charlie Dickens hooked well over for the home team when a long throw was knocked down before they went behind just after the midway point of the first half. Olu Lawal found some space down the right hand side and drew goalkeeper Jordan Perrie out before slotting it home.

James Stone collected a deep cross and cut in before shooting beyond the far post for the Oaks then Warren Mfula was brought down on the edge of the penalty area but Tom Jackson couldn’t keep his free kick down.

Gil Carvalho and Mfula combined for the former to get a shot away but Rob Tolfrey saved easily. They then combined again when Mfula back-heeled into the path of Carvalho and this time he launched a more powerful shot that was pushed wide superbly by the Merstham goalkeeper.

Jahmal Howlett-Mundle headed over from Jackson’s corner before the hosts levelled in first half stoppage time. Archie Burnett sized up a shot from the edge of the penalty area and struck it perfectly into the bottom corner.

Five minutes after the restart, Merstham went back ahead. Paris Hamilton-Downes set up to hit a free kick into one corner but Matt Drage caught Perrin by surprise when firing it into the other one. 

Jackson almost equalised soon after when he clipped a shot that came back out off the post. It fell into the path of Stone and when he was felled by Ryan Healy, he looked to have a very strong case for a penalty. However. referee Simon Cutler surprised everyone by awarding a free kick to the visitors.

He then went through a peculiar five minutes when he should have cautioned three players but let them all off. First Healy ran into Dickens needlessly as he was preparing to take a throw in. Then Ayo Majekodunmi took retribution with a very late tackle that left Healy in a heap and that was punished with a free kick only.

Finally, Harry Pointing failed to control it on the touchline and as Dickens went to pick it up to take a throw, he kicked it cynically down the line. Incredibly, the official just shouted ‘Don’t do that again’.

Carvalho had a shot well saved by Tolfrey before the visitors scored their third goal with nine minutes remaining. Lawal played it out to Sam King and he slid it across for experienced substitute Korrey Henry to fire home.

King headed wide from a Lee Lewis corner before Merstham added a fourth in additional time. Hamilton-Downes surged forward before hitting a brilliant shot from twenty yards that flew in off the post.

Sevenoaks Town: Perrin, Majekodunmi, Howlett-Mundle (Sawyer 90+1), Jackson (Doughty 76); Jonah, Dickens; Stone, Duncanson, Burnett (Carney 62), Carvalho; Mfula (Wisson 62).

Unused sub: Hanfrey.

Goalscorer: Burnett (45+2)

Yellow cards: None

Merstham: Tolfrey; Khinda, Pointing, Drage, Molloy; Healy (Lewis 75); Lawal (Jenkins 83). Hamilton-Downes, Brissett (Johnson 70); King (Evans 86), Wilson (Henry 70).

Unused subs: None.

Goalscorers: Lawal (25), Drage (50), Henry (81), Hamilton-Downes (90+4)

Yellow cards: None

Referee: Simon Cutler

Assistants: Myles Hewson and Matthew Charles

Attendance: 202