Dominant Margate move up

By Peter Butcher

ONLY one side in the top six of the Ryman Premier table were in league action yesterday (Saturday) and Margate made the most of it.

A dominant performance gave them a 2-0 victory at Harrow and lifted them from fifth to third, a point behind leaders Hampton. (Pictured by Don Walker: Harrow keeper Elvijs Putnins catches a corner).

Tommy Whitnell put them ahead shortly before the interval and Richard Avery added another midway through the second half. Then Harrow defender Michael Barima suffered a bad head injury in an accidental collision and proceedings after that were subdued.

Lowestoft moved up to a threatening sixth place, with games in hand on all the sides above them, with a 1-0 victory at Hendon. Chris Henderson scored after ten minutes and Hendon rarely looked like hitting back, especially after Dean Cracknell was sent off midway through the first half.

Concord romped to a 6-3 home win over Carshalton, though after taking an early lead with a Harry Elmes penalty they found themselves trailing by the 20th minute as Nathaniel Pinney and Ola Sogbanmu hit back.

Tony Stokes and Jerome Walker restored Concord’s lead in the 27th minute and they netted at regular intervals in the second half through Stokes, Elmes and Danny Spendlove before Sol Pinnock scored Robins’ third at the death,

Hastings player-manager Sean Ray was a hero a week earlier with the equalising goal in their FA Cup win at Bishop’s Stortford. Yesterday was not so good; he conceded an own goal and a penalty in their 4-0 defeat at Met Police. Three goals came in the first 19 minutes: Jonte Smith volleyed the first, Ray chested the ball past his own keeper and Allan Tait notched the third.

Any chance of a comeback vanished four minutes after the break when Ray upended Steve Sutherland and Smith slotted home his 18th league and cup goal from the penalty spot.

Lee Reed gave Bury a second-minute lead at home to Lewes, who replied on the hour through Karl Beckford. A draw was seven minutes away when Dan Hitching struck to give Bury a 2-1 win.

Where next?

Maidstone make their fans happy THE crowds continue to pour into Maidstone’s new Gallagher Stadium, where yesterday’s gate of 1,571 was the highest in the country for any FA Trophy tie.
All's well at office THE league office is back on line after problems earlier today.

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