Thomas Mitcham’s brace proved to be the difference between the two teams as Corinthian won at Stansfeld in the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division.

All looked good for Stansfeld in the opening stages and they went ahead in the fifth minute when Marcus Fanson worked his way in from the right wing and slotted it into the bottom corner.

Jerome shot over for the visitors before Sam Plant couldn’t keep his header down from Fanson’s cross at the other end. Fanson then shot over, before sliding a shot just wide after Ollie Andrews’ powerful run and Jimmy Shepherd’s clever pass had created the opening.

Ross Obazee got in behind for Corinthian but pulled his shot well wide when he had more time than he realised before the hosts created another opportunity when Adam Wallis’ cross fell out to Frank McCormack and his shot flew over from twenty yards,

Six minutes before half time Corinthian levelled. Charlie Wright’s free kick was headed down by Oluwaseyi Adegbehingbe and Mitcham fired home.

Mitcham then went on a great run down the left wing and pulled it back to Obazee who lashed it just over then Alfawaz Dada had a shot deflected over.

Fanson again threatened for the hosts when he turned his man and shot low towards the bottom corner and Thomas Crump dived full length to save before Marcus Travers drew a much easier claim from Crump’s counterpart, Cemal Osman.

As half time approached, Dada fired over for the visitors when well placed before Rob Hughes shot narrowly wide for Stansfeld with the last kick of an entertaining first half.

Andrews shot over and Plant fired wide in the early moments of the second half before the Hoops’ captain James Billings twice missed the target with headers from Wright free kicks. 

Hughes headed wide for Stansfeld before the visitors went ahead. Mitcham crossed low from the right and Obazee finished from close range.

Eight minutes remained when Corinthian made sure of the three points however, the goal should not have stood. When Stansfeld’s McCormack launched a long throw, his leading leg was a good yard over the line at the point of release.

The Assistant Referee was so busy watching what was going on that he failed to spot it and stop play. Billings rose to head it out, it was helped on, and Mitcham found himself clear. Osman burst out and the impressive Hoops’ striker fired over him from distance, and into the empty net.

There was still time for a flare up by the visitors dug out which resulted in the already cautioned physio being lectured and substituted Kieran King being cautioned along with Stansfeld’s Jamie Thuillier.

In stoppage time, Mitcham missed a chance of completing his hat-trick when shooting wide but he and his team were celebrating the victory that took them off the foot of the table soon after, with Stansfeld dropping into the bottom two. 

Stansfeld: Osman, McCormack, Thuillier, Buhari, Mead; Wallis, Andrews; Fanson (Marsh 83), Hughes (Simms 83), Shepherd (Calvert 70); Plant.

Subs not used: English, Green.

Goal scorer: Fanson (5)

Yellow card: Thuillier (90 aggressive behaviour)

Corinthian: Crump; Wilson, James Billings, Travers, Wright;; King (Benning 83), Adegbehingbe, Cheeseman (Jewson-Ricketts 62); Mitcham, Obazee, Dada (Jack Billings 86).

Subs not used: Akash Santhos, Akshar Santhos. 

Goalscorers: Mitcham (39), (82), Obazee (73)

Yellow cards: Physio (dissent 46), King (90 aggressive behaviour)

Referee: Tom Amber

Assistant Referees: Harley Webster and Ashley Barnes

Attendance: 108