AFC CROYDON Athletic got their league campaign back on track with a 4-1 victory over basement club CB Hounslow United last weekend.
Despite the scoreline, this was not a vintage performance, and after the stunning display against Badshot Lea the week before, which ensured the Rams progressed in the Premier Challenge Cup, hopes were high against a side that had only one win to their name.
The sides had already met back in August, when on the hottest day of the summer, AFC Croydon won 6-3.
The game started slowly but the hosts took the lead after just ten minutes when Danny Penfold crossed from the right for Lee Jansen to flick on and Joe Loyza fired home from a narrow angle.
Any hint of further goals disappeared as both sides struggled to find cohesion in their passing.
However, on the half-hour mark, the home side nearly grabbed their second when Penfold latched on to Dean Rose's long clearance but shot wide.
As the half came to an end, Croydon did get a second goal. Tony Martin linked with Loyza and Jansen in a passing move, which ended with the ball being laid off to Edward Cardona, who slotted past Hounslow's keeper.
And they made the game safe in the 52nd minute when Jansen was fouled 30 yards from goal, before he picked himself up to fire the free-kick goalwards, and after a fumble from the Hounslow keeper caused a scramble, Croydon players tried to force the ball home.
However, the assistant referee had signalled the ball had crossed the line.
The visitors had not really posed a threat all game but on 59 minutes, a free-kick was played into the danger area and was fired in by Akinfenwa. But Croydon made sure of the points late on when Martin found the back of the net shortly after Danny Cumber had a header tipped over.
Tomorrow, they travel to face Feltham (3pm).
