A five-goal match saw Sheppey beat basement boys Faversham on Saturday in Isthmian South East.

Prolific marksman Warren Mfula's first-half hat-trick was enough to earn them a 3-2 victory, extending their unbeaten league run to four games, despite strikers Zak Ansah and Frankie Sawyer getting off the mark for relegation-threatened Town.

The visitors flew out of the blocks and had an opportunity inside 40 seconds when Town keeper George Bentley - on his home debut - came out bravely to thwart midfielder Billy Bennett.

But Sheppey did draw first blood at a wet and miserable Salters Lane inside the first five minutes. Hitman Mfula fired home, much to the delight of the healthy away contingent among the 494-strong crowd.

There was a first sighting of goal for Faversham’s Ansah four minutes later, only for the ball to break kindly for visiting goalkeeper Aiden Prall.

The 17th minute saw Mfula then go close after a spell of good play for Town. He tried his luck from a tight angle after a swift counter-attack but Bentley was equal to the effort.

United's Ali Mansaray connected with a free-kick from new recruit Tom Hanfrey. He was unable to make a strong enough connection, though, with the ball falling narrowly wide.

The Lilywhites, aiming for a response after successive 5-0 losses, equalised against the run of play shortly after the half-hour mark as great work from Bradley Schafer in midfield created the chance. A clever dummy allowed Ansah the space to bend into the net and he made no mistake.

But Simon Austin’s team were level for just three minutes. Frankie Morgan was too strong for Faversham right-back Adedamola Adesanya and Morgan crossed from the left for Mfula who had the simple task of stroking home.

Two quickly became three for Jack Midson’s men. Awful home defending presented Mfula with the chance for a first-half hat-trick and he slotted past Bentley to take his tally to 16 goals for the season.

That proved the end of Adesanya’s afternoon, with the defender replaced by Ollie Gray before the interval.

Faversham should have pulled one back in the 43rd minute, however Sawyer spooned over a Matt Parsons left-wing cross.

But in first-half stoppage-time, Sawyer made amends, curling past Prall to cut the deficit back down to one.

Malachi Hudson thought he may have scored amid a frantic start after the restart, only for a Sheppey defender to clear in a crowded penalty box in the 51st minute, before Schafer ran at Lekan Majoyegbe. Referee Joshua Langley-Fineing waved away home appeals and it wasn’t clear if a foul would have been a penalty or a free-kick anyway.

Prall came up with a big save shortly after the hour mark. Sawyer had done well to create an opportunity for himself, only to be thwarted by the Sheppey goalkeeper.

The Ites tried to break down the other end and Town midfielder Helge Orome went into the book for a foul on Mfula. From the free-kick, the away team’s marksman was denied by Bentley who got down low.

With 20 minutes of normal time to go, Schafer sent an effort wide of the visitors’ left-hand post before Jake Embery replaced Mfula.

Town substitute Gray came up with a vital block with 79 minutes played as Embery looked to double the away team’s advantage. The striker had another chance two minutes later but sent his strike miles wide.

The hosts threatened and produced some nervy moments in the latter stages but the Ites held on to move up to 10th in the table.

Ansah came straight into the Faversham starting line-up and made an instant impact.

But there was no defender Matt Bourne in the home team's squad, a tactical decision, while another new signing for the Lilywhites, Antone Douglas, came in too. Connor Wilkins captained Town against his old club.

A recent Sheppey recruit, Hanfrey, was in their side, as was ex-Faversham defender Jono Richardson. Meanwhile Jake Embery - the son of John Embery, joint-boss of the Lilywhites earlier this season - was on the Ites’ bench.

Faversham Town: Bentley, Adesanya (Gray 37mins), Parsons, Orome, Wilkins, Douglas, Carnegie, Schafer, Sawyer, Ansah (Duncan 76mins), Hudson. Subs not used: Lawlor, Lankshear, Bates-Giles.

Sheppey United: Prall, Mansaray, Majoyegbe, Hanfrey, Hamill, Mfula (Embery 72mins), Bennett, McIntyre, Midson, Morgan, Richardson. Subs not used: Lambert, Roberts, Ossai, Frost.

Referee: Joshua Langley-Fineing.

Attendance: 494.