Town score four goals in 21 minutes as Farnborough are swept aside

STRATFORD Town romped to their biggest away win of the season as they ran in four goals in 21 blistering first-half minutes in a 4-1 success at Farnborough on Saturday, writes Bryan Hale.

Farnborough went ahead in only the fifth minute when Andy Sealey-Harris surged forward down the inside right channel and hit a low drive from 25 yards out which beat Stratford keeper Louis Connor's despairing dive at his near post.

But having survived some further Farnborough pressure, Stratford equalised in the 19th minute when Edwin Ahenkorah on his 100th Stratford appearance had a fiercely-struck effort blocked and the loose ball fell kindly to Ben Stephens, who volleyed it past Farnborough keeper Aaron Bufton into the top corner for his 20th goal of the season.

Six minutes later, a Connor free-kick was flicked on by Stephens and Will Grocott ran on to slot it past the advancing Bufton.

On the half-hour mark, Stratford extended their lead when Ahenkorah twisted and turned in the penalty area to make room for a left foot shot which hit Stephens and looped over Bufton to provide Grocott with a tap-in from virtually on the line.

And it got even better for Carl Adams' side five minutes before the break when Stephens latched onto Justin Marsden’s long ball down the right to skip past Bufton and steer it into the empty net.

Farnborough had no option but to pile forward in the second half, but Stratford soaked up the pressure without any serious alarms.

Connor made a couple of smart saves from Mike Elias-Fernandes and Sealey Harris, but any chance Farnborough had disappeared with 12 minutes to go when Nat Oseni was sent off after picking up a second yellow card.