Faulkner on song as 10-man Blues hammer London Colney

Dunstable Town boss Joe Deeney - pic: Liam Smith

Kyle Faulkner scored a hat-trick as Dunstable Town overcame adversity to triumph 5-1 against London Colney in a bad-tempered SSML Premier Division encounter at Creasey Park on Saturday.

A bright start by the hosts saw Tolu Ikuyinminu follow up a drive from Faulkner but was uncharacteristically off target on the rebound.

However, the Blues were then reduced to 10 men on just 20 minutes when debutant Luke Dunstan, who joined in midweek after spells at Leighton, Newport Pagnell and Tring Athletic player, was given a straight red card by referee Neo Neophytou.

The official went on to be a busy man, booking Charlie Jones, Liam McCrohan, Kelvin Osei-Addo, Kyle Durcan and Deeney, Colney having a player sin-binned and two others cautioned, including their physiotherapist.

The Blues took the lead on 28 minutes when Joe Sellers-West was on target, forcing the ball home following a partially cleared corner.

Within a minute of the restart, Faulkner got the first of his treble with a powerful drive just outside the box following good work from Kyle Davison-Gordon.

Just before the break, J’Ardell Stirling produced a piece of inventive trickery to brush past his markers, play a neat one-two, only to be denied when one-on-one with the keeper.

Four minutes after the interval, Dunstable were punished for failing to clear the ball, Gael Muyonge halving the deficit.

Any thoughts the away side would get back on level terms were dashed on 52 minutes, when the two Kyle’s reversed roles, Faulkner squaring the ball to Davison-Gordon who doubled the Blues’ lead again.

Three minutes later and it was effectively game over, Davison-Gordon and Sellers-West combining, the latter crossing for Faulkner to half volley the ball into the net.

The fifth and final Dunstable goal came on the hour mark, as Davison-Gordon played an inch-perfect pass for Faulkner, who drove low into the far corner to complete a fine hat-trick.

Coincidentally, the last time Town, who have now won six matches out of eight this term, had managed five goals was also when facing London Colney, back on November 13, 2021.