Bowers hit NINE, Wanderers held, whilst Hayes move a step closer to promotion

Last weekend the unthinkable happened. Dorking Wanderers lost! They travelled to Corinthian-Casuals looking to put that right, and to move a step closer to promotion- and the Bostik Premier Division title. Well they didn’t lose, but they didn’t win, either, as Casuals held them to a goalless draw. That leaves Dorking eleven points clear at the top of the table, and Casuals in seventeenth, five points clear of the bottom three.

Second placed Haringey Borough also lost last week, and they had what looked like another tricky match in prospect as Enfield Town headed down the A10 to Coles Park. Within ten minutes it didn’t just look tricky, it was tricky, as Marc Weatherstone put the Towners ahead; however that lead lasted only thirteen minutes, Joel Nouble drawing them level. As we entered the last ten minutes it seemed as if a point a-piece was the order of the day, but then Nouble once more- from the spot- and Karl Akinwande stepped up to ensure that all of the points stayed at home.

At the wrong end of the table, Burgess Hill Town gave themselves hope with victory at Kingstonian last weekend, but they had what looked like a difficult match at home to a Margate side who had won five and drawn two of their last seven. It took twelve minutes for Gate to go in front, through Ben Swift, and an own goal after the break was enough to make it twenty points from twenty four for the away side.- and leave Hill eight points from safety.

Wingate and Finchley celebrated a crushing victory over Harlow Town last weekend, but it wasn’t enough to lift them out of the bottom three. They welcomed Potters Bar Town, and started as they finished against Harlow Town, going two goals up- Donovan Makoma and Sean Cronin the scorers- in the first quarter of an hour. The Scholars weren’t going to lie down, however, and Dernell Wynter had soon got them back into the game before the break.

In the seventieth minute Anthony Mendy made it 3-1, but even then the home side weren’t safe as Bradley Sach reduced the arrears once more, and it wasn’t until the last minute that Charlie Ruff made it 4-2 and moved the Blues out of the relegation zone- and saw them close to within a point of their visitors.

Whitehawk started the day just outside the relegation places, and they had a tough task ahead of them as third place Tonbridge Angels arrived at the Enclosed Ground. Half time saw the match still goalless, but Angels put their hosts to the sword after the break, Sonny Miles, Chinedu Mckenzie and a Tom Derry double making it 4-0 to Steve McKimm’s side.

Second bottom Harlow Town had a difficult task ahead of them as they travelled to fourth place Merstham, and so it proved. Gus Sow put the Moatsiders ahead after only three minutes, and when Walter Figueira made it two just before the half hour it seemed a long way back for the Hawks. They halved the arrears early in the second half through Matt Foy, but that just got their hosts annoyed, as Sow once more, Simon Cooper and Jake Hutchings made it five-one.

Two playoff contenders met at the Fullicks Stadium, as Folkestone Invicta entertained Worthing. The home side picked up two late red cards, and they paid the penalty as the Mackerel Men turned a goalless draw into victory two minutes before the end when Callum Kealy found the net and prevented Carshalton from taking their fifth place.

Carshalton Athletic are the form side of the last few weeks, and they entertained Brightlingsea Regent at Colston Avenue looking to maintain that success. Tommy Bradford gave them the lead just before the break, and a late double from Omar Koroma made the victory convincing.

Bognor Regis Town and Leatherhead both have promotion hopes, and the Rocks had made a few signings this week, as they struggled to cope with an injury crisis. It was the Tanners who got the opener, Jack Skinner finding the net after 23 minutes, and Nikki Bull’s side doubled their lead just before half time with a goal from Charlie Hester-Cook. It got no better for the Rocks after the break, as Ibrahim Olutade made it three and then, just before the end, Travis Gregory got number four- sending the Tanners up to eighth, five points from the playoffs.

Kingstonian, with a new management team for the second time this year, headed to Lewes desperate for points, having picked up only one from their last eleven matches. The Rooks needed the points too, if their playoff ambitions weren’t to come to an end, and they started well, Charlie Coppola putting them ahead on eighteen minutes. Ben Pope made it two on the half hour, and the same player got the Rooks third midway through the second half in front of a crowd of eight hundred and twelve.

We had an Essex derby as AFC Hornchurch entertained Bishop’s Stortford. It was unlucky for the Urchins after thirteen minutes as Jamie Cureton put the Blues ahead, and that was the only goal of the game, leaving Bishop’s twelfth and their hosts fifteenth.

North Division

Leaders Bowers & Pitsea looked to have a tricky match in prospect as they hosted a resurgent Barking- but it wasn’t tricky for long. Within half an hour the home side were three goals to the good, Bradley Warner and Lewis Manor (2) finding the net. David Knight made it four six minutes before the break, and when Quentin Monville made it five before the break Barking must have been dreading what might happen in the second half.

Their dread was absolutely necessary. Knight got a second half hat trick, making it four goals for him alone, and a goal from Lewis Clarke meant that the match ended NINE-nil.

Maldon & Tiptree needed to bounce back after last week’s hammering at the hands of Coggeshall Town, but must have had hope, as they were travelling to face a Romford side who couldn’t buy a victory. It took the Jammers twenty eight minutes to go ahead, Eddie-Louis Dsane opening the scoring, but they couldn’t hold the lead, John Maskell getting an equaliser after the break. Dsane then restored the lead, only for Greg Akpele to make it 2-2. Could the Boro go on and get a three points they desperately needed? Sadly for the home fans the answer was no, as Laste Dombaxe made it three and then Dsane got his hat trick to clinch the points with seven minutes remaining.

The Seed Growers had followed that hammering by losing to Brentwood in midweek, so were hoping for three points as they entertained Basildon United. The first half was goalless, but three goals in the last half hour from Nnamdi Nwachuku, Mekhi McLeod and Ross Wall ensured that Coggeshall ended the day in third place.

Sam Bantick scored two first half goals as Aveley made things difficult for relegation threatened Mildenhall Town, and when he got his hat trick eighteen minutes after the break it was as good as all over. There were no further goals, which left the Millers in fourth and Town eight points from safety.

Heybridge Swifts, walloped by Barking last time out, were entertaining Grays Athletic, and fell behind to an own goal after seventeen minutes. They were able to turn the game on its head after the break, Toib Adeyemi and Jack Adlington-Pile scoring to ensure that they maintain a fifteen point gap between themselves and sixth place AFC Sudbury.

Reece Harris put AFC Sudbury ahead at home to Witham Town, but the lead lasted two minutes as Town struck back through Chinedu Vine. Six minutes later and the yellows were in front once more, Tom Maycock with the goal. Maycock got his second midway through the second half to clinch the points.

Felixstowe and Walton United entertained Brentwood Town, and went two up within the first quarter of an hour, Liam Hillyard and Rhys Barber with the goals. Jack Ainsley clinched the points from the spot just after half time.

Sam Mulready put Soham Town Rangers ahead over Canvey Island from the spot, and that turned out to be the only goal of the game, leaving Soham in seventeenth and their visitors four places higher.

Finally, the Dockers of Tilbury were entertaining Great Wakering Rovers. It was goalless at half time, and still goalless with twenty minutes to go- but then Rovers went and scored three, Firmin Ngandu, Shomari Barnwell and Billy Johnson finding the net.

Our action had begun on Friday night, when Dereham Town and Bury Town served up a five-goal thriller. It was the home side that ended the night ahead, Adam Hipperson, Ryan Crisp and Rhys Logan scoring their three goals whilst Emmanuel Machaya and Tanner Call found the net for the visitors, all to no avail. Our headline image is from Alan Palmer at Dereham, and you can find the rest of his shots by heading HERE.

South Central Division

The match of the day here was the arrival of second place Bracknell Town at leaders Hayes & Yeading United. It promised to be close, and so it turned out, but the home side won by the only goal of the game, Toby Little getting it from the spot midway through the second half as Hayes went seventeen points clear.

Third placed Marlow arrived at Hertford Town to face a revamped squad under yet another management team, and quickly took advantage of any confusion that may exist, Charlie Samuel giving them a second minute lead. New Town striker Charncey Dash was their saviour, however, scoring twice after the break- the second in the last minute to earn a point after Marcus Mealing had put Marlow ahead once more. Marlow remain third, Hertford are seventeenth.

Fourth place Cheshunt travelled to a Tooting & Mitcham United side who retained their playoff pretentions, but the Ambers went ahead on thirty nine minutes through Brian Moses. The lead lasted only two minutes, Danny Bassett drawing the Terrors level- but the Ambers eased ahead once more after the break through Shane Cojocarel, and held onto their lead until full time.

Fifth place Westfield were shocked at Bedfont Sports. The sides went in at nil-nil, but Sports got three in the second half, Kiye Martin, Didi Ndombe and Charlie Postance with the goals which lifted them to twelfth.

We had a clash of the not-quite-titans at Runnymede, as Egham Town, surely doomed to relegation already, entertained South Park, still desperate to get out of the bottom two. Charlie Pitcher put the visitors ahead after eight minutes, and after the break Daniel Uchechi and Sam Remfry made it 3-0. The Sarnies are fourteen points from safety, but Sparks are outside the bottom three for now as Molesey fell 3-1 at Hanwell Town. A double from Gareth Chendlik and a third from Brian Testolin was enough to give the points to the Geordies, despite Nicolas Osborne scoring for the Moles.

Another side who needed points to climb away from the trapdoor are FC Romania, and they took the lead against Waltham Abbey through Cosmin Miron. Sadly for the Wolves, an own goal after the break and a winner from Nathan Koranteng left them with nothing, and the Abbotts in seventh.

Chipstead entertained Ware, and went ahead six minutes before the break, Sam Bell with the goal. They couldn’t hold onto that lead, however- two goals in two minutes through Dave Cowley and Brandon Adams, followed by another from Adams, sending Ware into sixth.

Northwood travelled to Chalfont St Peter and took an early lead, through Ben Pattie in the ninth minute, and although Jack Read got a very late goal for the Saints, Woods already had their second by then, Zaied Sabti finding the net.

Ashford Town fell to a late David Thomas penalty as Uxbridge took the points in West London and climbed to fourteenth.

South East Division

Four of the top five were playing each other, and each ended the day with only a point. Second v Third ended nil-nil between Horsham and Ashford United, whilst First v Fifth was a rip-roaring match between Cray Wanderers and Haywards Heath Town which ended two-two. Our league leaders were twice behind, Karly Akehurst and Callum Saunders putting Heath ahead before and after the break, but each time their lead lasted only two minutes, and each time Joseph Taylor found the equaliser.

Wands remain thirteen points clear, but now it’s Hastings United who occupy the runner-up spot, their good form continuing in victory at Three Bridges. Ibby Akanbi gave Bridges the lead after seventeen minutes, but that angered United, who had three by half time- Gary Elphick, Jack Dixon and Davide Rodari the scorers. The second half was goalless.

Hythe Town are in sixth place, nine points behind Heath, but they ran out 3-0 winners at Sittingbourne. Zak Ansah, Thomas Carlton and Kieron Campbell got the goals in front of 192 at Woodstock Park.

VCD Athletic, behind the Cannons only on goal difference, won 2-0 against Herne Bay. A goal in each half from Charlie MacDonald and Ali Fuseini did the damage. You can see an image from Steve Barton, taken at this match, below.

Whyteleafe, Phoenix Sports and Ramsgate, in eighth, ninth and tenth, each left with a draw- the last two against each other in a match that ended goalless. Leafe entertained Whitstable Town and both goals came in the first half, Junior Aikhionbare giving the home side the lead only for Harry Stannard to equalise just before the break.

Sevenoaks Town got back to winning ways as they entertained Greenwich Borough, Dan Parkinson and Josh Dorling with their goals in a two-one victory. Teshuane Tyreece Walters had equalised for Borough in the first half, but it wasn’t enough.

In our early kick off, Guernsey came from behind, went ahead, and ended up with a draw at home to Faversham Town. Ashley Miller gave Town the lead, only for Matt Loaring to equalise in the last minute of the first half. One minute later the Green Lions were ahead, Carlos Canha finding the net, but there was plenty of time left for Michael Freiter to equalise.