Five hat-tricks as Tuesday goes goal crazy!

By Ian Townsend

Tuesday night saw our sides involved in FA Cup, League and Velocity Trophy action- and delivered a cornucopia of footballing delights, including five hat-tricks. Eyes down, look in, and here’s your round up!

In the FA Cup all eyes were on Essex, where Jody Brown’s Heybridge Swifts side have made a fine start to the new season, suffering only one defeat- Saturday’s 3-2 reverse at Sudbury. Opponents Metropolitan Police, visiting for a replay after the two sides had initially drawn 2-2 at Imber Court, were on a terrible run having won only one of their last eight matches. It was difficult to separate the sides once more, Juan Luque giving Swifts a second half lead before Ryan James responded for the boys in blue. Extra time was required and there were no further goals to break the deadlock, so it went to penalties, where the home side eventually triumphed 4-3 to record a giant killing!

In the Premier Division neither of the top two of Billericay Town and Leiston had a match- although ‘Ricay were starting their defence of the Velocity Trophy. Attention, then, was on third place Wingate & Finchley, away at Brightlingsea Regent, and on the fourth v fifth place clash between Hendon and Staines Town. Wingate and Finchley went a goal down to Jamie Webster’s men in the 58th minute, Tom Richardson the scorer, and try as they might they couldn’t get back into the game. That man Niko Muir put Hendon ahead at Silver Jubilee Park in the 33rd minute- his eleventh goal of the season- and Zak Joseph made it safe for the Greens twelve minutes before the end before Muir got number twelve to make it 3-0 right at the death. With this result Hendon leapfrogged both Wingate and Finchley and Leiston into second place.

In Bognor, still temporarily homeless Worthing were playing their first match of the second Adam Hinshelwood era against a resurgent Kingstonian. Missing striker Lloyd Dawes, apparently about to join National League South side Eastbourne Borough, the Mackerel Men went ahead through Alex Parsons just after the half hour, but Tom Derry equalised with twenty minutes to go before substitute Noel Mbo delivered a sucker punch three minutes later to win the match for the K’s, who move into sixth. The crowd of 151 was a full 561 fewer than watched the corresponding match last season, which perhaps proves quite how critical it is that Worthing get back to Woodside Road as soon as possible.

Harlow Town followed Saturday’s six-nil thrashing at Kingstonian by falling three behind at home to Needham Market before half time, Dan Morphew, Gareth Heath and Sam Nunn with the goals. Nunn then scored at the other end to hand Town a lifeline six minutes into the second half, but the Marketmen held on to record a victory.

Dulwich Hamlet left it late to defeat Harrow Borough and move up to fifth, Ashley Carew opening the scoring nine minutes before the end, whilst Tonbridge Angels and Lowestoft Town got back to winning ways with victories over Dorking Wanderers and Thurrock, 2-0 and 1-0 respectively.

In the South Division the first goal of the night was headed home by Danny Cunningham for Corinthian Casuals, who were hosting South Park. Park, who went into this game knowing that victory would put them top of the table- Lewes and Whyteleafe meeting at the Dripping Pan on Wednesday- but were three nil down before an hour had passed, Cunningham with both to clinch his hat trick. Max Oldham later made it four and Josh Uzin rubbed salt into the wound by scoring number five in the 90th minute. Casuals move up to third.

Josh Phillips was also an early starter, putting Carshalton Athletic ahead at Chipstead in the third minute, but the home side roared back and were ahead by the time that twenty minutes had passed. Athletic weren’t dismayed, however, and Raheem Sterling-Parker levelled the match three minutes after the restart before Tommy Bradford put them ahead. Sterling-Parker then made the match safe, adding his second and Athletic’s fourth, and although Liam Harwood made it 3-4 with two minutes to go Athletic held on to claim three points.

At the DGS Marine Stadium Greenwich Borough Gary Alexander pitted his wits against Walton Casuals and their manager Anthony Gale, and within little over half an hour it was Casuals who were in the driving seat, 2-0 up. Veteran striker Charlie Macdonald soon pulled a goal back, firing home a penalty, only for Isaac Sarpong to restore his sides two goal cushion just before half time and double his own personal tally in the process. Ali Fuseine reduced the arears in the fiftieth minute before Borough levelled the match with eleven minutes to go, Macdonald once again the scorer. 3-3 was the final score, leaving Walton in sixth and Borough eleventh.

Phoenix Sports were a goal to the good against Thamesmead Town within four minutes, through Jack Barham, but Town were soon in the lead, Tashi-Jay Kwayie firing home two in a ten minute spell. Kwayie then got his third on the hour before Barham once more scored for Sports, but the away side held on to record a victory.

In the two Kentish derby matches Herne Bay defeated Ashford United 3-0, whilst Hythe Town defeated Faversham Town by the same score, Dean Grant bagging a hat trick.

In the North Division Ryan Clampin started his match for Maldon and Tiptree- at Brentwood Town- as if he wanted to get it over and done with quickly, scoring in the 5th and 8th minutes to give the Jammers a commanding early lead. Within half an hour the away side had made it three, Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe the scorer, and it got even worse for Town in the 33rd minute when Clampin secured the match ball, putting his side 4-0 up. It took Maldon until fifteen minutes before the end to make it five, through Kieran Bailey, before Brentwood made the scoreline look a little more respectable, Andrew Freeman with a late brace.

AFC Sudbury were searching for their third victory in a row when they travelled to Soham Town Rangers, and went ahead in the 23rd minute through Adam Mills before Louis Blake doubled the tally ten minutes later. That’s how it stayed, and AFC Sudbury move up to 13th.

Bowers & Pitsea and Tilbury scored ten goals between them in victories at the weekend, and it was always unlikely that either side would repeat that scoring feat tonight. Bowers went ahead eight minutes before the break through Jamie Salmon, before Lewis Clark doubled their lead three minutes after the restart. Clark made it three in the 83rd minute and Bowers moved up to second, although having played two games more than Haringey Borough, who are in third place with the same points tally.

Dereham Town went to Bury and came away with a 1-0 victory, a Joe Gatting goal moving the Magpies up to fourth.

In the Velocity Trophy there were victories for Potters Bar Town- who beat Ware 4-1 including a hat trick from Eoin Casey, Billericay Town, Sittingbourne and Folkestone Invicta. Hertford Town of the North Division went to Premier Division Enfield Town, took the lead through Daniel Bond, and held on to it until the last minute of normal time when Ben Ward-Cochrane bagged an equaliser. The match went to penalties, and even that struggled to produce a winner, Town eventually triumphing 9-8.

Wednesday night sees Leatherhead entertain Margate in the Premier Division, whilst Canvey Island visit Grays Athletic and Cheshunt go to Romford in the North. In the South Division Molesey take the long trip to Guernsey, whilst Lewes and Whyteleafe are at the Dripping Pan battling for first place. Horsham entertain Burgess Hill Town at Culver Road in the Velocity Trophy.

Image courtesy of Heybridge Swifts FC

Where next?

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Charity climbers pay tribute to George Grays Athletic stalwart remembered- on top of North Africa's highest mountain

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