Whyteleafe moved four points clear at the top of the Southern Counties East Football League after a 4-1 win over Beckenham on Thursday night.

However, second-placed Ashford United have two games in hand.

The scoreline could be considered harsh on the visitors to Church Road, but it was Leafe's superior power going forward that proved decisive.

Whilst Beckenham enjoyed a lot of possession in the first half they always looked vulnerable at the back against a fast flowing Leafe front line conducted by the impressive Sam Clayton.

In fact it was Clayton's clever through ball to Roscoe DSane that saw the striker race clear and fire past the Beckenham keeper.

It would only take another five minutes for the lead to be doubled after a powerful inswinging corner from Jason Thompson was headed in on the line by Clayton.

The pace and movement of Clayton and DSane continued to cause problems during the rest of the half ably assisted by Greg Andrews and Ryan Fowler on the flanks but there were to be no more goals before the break.

Andrews came closest after a cheeky chip over the keeper bounced twice on the crossbar.

The second half was a stifled affair early on with the majority of the pressure coming from Beckenham, who got their just rewards in the 55th minute with a well-taken goal from Damon Ramsamy.

Leafe continued to labour and it did not take long for Leafe boss John Fowler to ring the changes and make a double substitution bringing on Craig Pitterson and Taylor Smith for Fowler and Andrews.

The substitution breathed some new life into the Leafe attack with Smith's pace especially causing renewed problems for the Beckenham defence.

Leafe finally got their third goal on 68 minutes when Dsane was fouled by Wise off the ball in the area and Thompson stepped up to power home the resulting penalty.

With the game seemingly won, Fowler made his final change of the match bringing on the experienced midfielder Robbie Kember for Dsane.

The result was put beyond any doubt in the 85th minute when the second of consecutive corners was delivered to a crowded goal mouth, and after a mad scramble Smith leapt higher than anyone else to head home the bouncing ball for Leafe's fourth.

Whyteleafe: Ceesay, Tommy Smith, Penfold, Hollingsworth, Merchant, Thompson, Fowler (Taylor Smith 60), Grant, DSane (Kember 75), Clayton, Andrews (Pitterson 60).