An inspired performance from Afolabi Obafemi helped Wingate and Finchley to victory at Thurrock.

The striker contributed two goals and an assist to his team’s efforts as the Blues took all three points.

It didn’t take Wingate long to hit the front as Mark Charles-Smith capitalised on a mistake in the Thurrock defence to lob the ball over goalkeeper Jake Jessup and put his side ahead after four minutes.

It was 2-0 on 24 minutes when Quentin Monville was set free down the left-hand side before squaring for Obafemi to tap home his first of the game.

Just four minutes later, though, the visitors were pegged back when Charlie Stimson rounded goalkeeper Shane Gore before slotting into an empty net.

Finchley then had a penalty appeal waved away after they complained that Jessup bundled over Charles-Smith in the box.

Wingate did manage to restore their two-goal lead in the 38th minute, though, when Obafemi twisted and turned in the Thurrock box before laying it on a plate for Rob Laney to smash home.

Keith Rowland’s men all but sealed the three points eight minutes into the second half when Laney headed across goal to Obafemi who calmly finished for his second and Wingate’s fourth.

It was all Thurrock after that as the home team went in search of an unlikely comeback.

They did manage to pull one back however after 66 minutes when centre-back Curtis Ujah scrambled the ball in from a corner.

But Charles-Smith should have had his second goal on 75 minutes, only to fail to convert his header after a ball across the box by Laney.

Despite a lot a Thurrock pressure, the visitors held strong in the last 15 minutes to secure an impressive victory which moved them up to ninth in the table ahead of the visit of second-bottom Tooting & Mitcham on Tuesday.

Wingate: Gore, Williams, Mavila, Vilcu, Cronin, Rifat, Ifil, Laney, Charles-Smith (Pattie 90), Obafemi (Ebelebe 72), Monville (Beckles-Richards 64).