Squires Gate beaten by league leaders Avro

It was the hosts who started the match on top, with Pascal Jungo doing brilliantly to tip an effort from the edge of the box over the bar.

The goalkeeper then made another good save from the following corner.

Avro kept pushing, and after an effort across goal was again well parried by Jungo, a shot from just outside the box clipped the top of the bar.

The hosts took a deserved lead on 14 minutes, with a free kick from the left volleyed past Jungo clinically by Louis Potts after the striker lost his marker inside the box.

The hosts were defending well, and Gate struggled to create any clear chances on goal up until the 41st minute when a deep corner floated in by Ryan Riley was well met by Nathan Bartram at the back post, but he ought to have done better as he headed wide of the goal.

Harrison Webster was then perfectly positioned at the other end in stoppage time of the first half, clearing a header off the line after an Avro corner.

Gate were forced into a change at half time, with Rowan Chambers picking up an injury and replaced by Ryan Moore, and Avro doubled their lead though just two minutes inside the second half.

After Gate failed to clear their lines from a corner, a cross from the right was missed by the defence and fired home from close range from Potts.

It was 3-0 on 69 minutes, with Potts again finding too much space inside the Gate box to head home a free kick to secure his hat-trick.

The lead was extended with another cross not defended well enough and another free header, this time for Sullivan, who headed into the bottom corner, once again giving Jungo no chance.

Luke Holden replaced Nathan Bartram on 83 minutes, returning to the side after around five months out injured.

Theo Ball then did well to cut inside from the left but blazed his effort miles over.

Both sides went close to a goal in stoppage time – first Avro hit the post from the edge of the area, then a Gate header from Pett after a brilliant cross from Ball was well held by the Avrokeeper.