Big night in survival battles

Hastings moved out of the Ryman Premier relegation places with a 2-0 home win over Harrow. Player-manager Sean Ray (pictured) put them ahead in the hour and Danny Ellis clinched it at the end.

It was only Hastings’ third home win in the league and rewarded everyone who made huge efforts to get a waterlogged pitch fit for play.

Lewes moved up one place to 19th, also with a 2-0 home win. Their victims were Margate, whose play-off bid seems to be falling apart after three defeats in less than a week, even though they still occupy fifth place.

Goals right at the end of each half, from Nathan Crabb and Steve Brinkhurst, provided Lewes with three vital points.

Wingate dropped into the bottom two, behind Hastings on goal difference. But there are six clubs, including Harrow, covered by just three points as the season goes into its final fortnight.

Topping that group are Thurrock, who are not quite out of danger after failing in a bid for their fourth away victory in a week. They were beaten 2-1 at Leiston, who scored all three goals.

Gareth Heath’s 13th-minute opener was quickly wiped out by David Head’s own goal; Tom Winter claimed the winner on the hour.

The night’s big losers were Carshalton, who did not play but saw other results go against them. They are four points adrift at the foot of the table with only four games left.

East Thurrock’s goalless draw at Hendon lifted them to seventh place, three points behind Margate with two games in hand. In between them are Met Police, two points behind the Kent club with one game in hand.

Redbridge hold the upper hand in the Ryman North relegation duel after a 3-0 home win over Brentwood tonight lifted them above neighbours Ilford, who crashed 5-1 at Waltham Abbey.

The Motormen had previously managed only four points from 17 home games but they were decisive winners of this one. The impressive Jacob Cleaver put them ahead after five minutes, just as he had done on Tuesday when Redbridge went on to lose 4-1 to Wroxham.

There was no such collapse this time: Lamar Lemonius added another on the half-hour and Cleaver made it three shortly before half-time. Lemonius is Redbridge’s joint second-highest scorer with two league goals to his credit; Cleaver has 16.

Ilford fell behind after ten minutes at Capershotts, Tom Laxton the scorer, and Ayrton Coley added another six minutes before the break.

James Peagram, Laxton and Kieran Ogunkoya made it 5-0 before Chinedu McKenzie managed a late consolation for the visitors.

So Redbridge are two points clear of their local rivals and have a game in hand. Both sides have conceded 99 league goals but Redbridge have scored six more.

Three Bridges beat Chipstead 4-1 in Ryman South and moved up to 20th place, ahead of Walton & Hersham on goal difference.
bottom club Walton Casuals are now three points adrift, though both the Walton clubs have a game in hand on Bridges.

Sam Robinson gave Chips the lead in the 24th minute but it lasted only three minutes before Marcus Elliott equalised.
Abu Touray put Bridges ahead midway through the second half and further goals by Joel O’Hara and Elliott Romain wrapped up their fifth win in six games.