With league leaders Dartford being held to a draw and third-placed Ware also dropping points, AFC's victory was all the more significant. It cut Dartford's lead to three points – and AFC have a match in hand.

With both teams enjoying a rich vein of form and both on long unbeaten runs the game attracted a crowd of 456, Canvey's best of the season by far, swelled by a huge number of AFC fans.

If they were expecting a feast of attractive football they were disappointed as if ever a game was spoilt by the wind then this was the one. A hard pitch and a strong wind blowing the length of it meant it was never going to be easy on the eye.

It was a game that had goalless draw written all over it, and a share of the spoils would probably have been a fair result. But take nothing away from AFC and Bethell in particular. They kept battling to the end, unlike the hosts who looked as if they had settled for a draw long before the final whistle.

A few eyebrows were raised when Bethell was recently re-signed for a second spell, but in his two appearances off the bench since his return, he has shown that he will be a useful addition to the squad with important games coming up in the run-in.

Manager Mark Morsley made one change from the team that won in midweek. Defender Brett Girling returned in place of Kevin Hughes, who was rested after playing his first full game for the club since returning from injury.

From the first whistle it was apparent that the strong wind was going to play an important part. AFC had it in their faces in a first half in which both sides struggled to string moves together.

Defences dominated and there were very few scoring opportunities. But a good one fell to AFC after six minutes and they should really have taken the lead.

James Rowe was the architect, racing on to a through-ball wide right.

His low cross into the danger area found Stuart Boardley who looked certain to score but from close range he ballooned the ball over the bar with keeper Mel Capleton out of position.

With the wind behind them Canvey had a different problem, trying to keep up with the ball, and as a result, they posed little threat until a spell of intense pressure just before the interval.

Four corners were forced in quick succession. From one a towering header from Colin Wall was cleared off the line and from another keeper Nathan Munson was forced into his only real save of the game.

There was little improvement in the second half with the wind continuing to be the dominant factor.

The big talking point of the half came eight minutes in when a quick Canvey break resulted in a last-ditch tackle by David Head stopping Leon Gordon on his run on goal just outside the area.

The AFC skipper was cautioned by referee Saliy much to the disgust of the Canvey players who were baying for Head's dismissal, so much so that Kevin Dobbinson was booked for dissent.

These were the only yellow cards and the only controversial moment in a match played in the best of spirits. Steve Corbell sent the resulting free kick high over the crossbar.

At the other end a shot from Rowe took a deflection off a defender and was close to an own goal.

But that apart, there was little goalmouth action, although the introduction of Luke Hammond and Bethell with 20 minutes left improved AFC's threat.

Bethell made some telling contributions but none so telling as in the third minute of stoppage time.

With the match seemingly heading for a goalless draw a long free kick from Munson dropped into a crowd of players. There did not appear to be anything on but the substitute striker latched on to the loose ball to send a dipping, wind-assisted 30-yard shot past a bemused Capleton who could only watch it fly into the net.

It was a goal worthy of winning any game and one which may be very important come the end of the season.

AFC Sudbury: Munson, Driver, Wardley, P Smith (Hammond 64), Girling, D Head, Heath, S Head, Simpson, Rowe, Boardley (Bethell 70). Unused subs: Bacon, Hughes and N Smith.