Moatsiders burn down the Hamlet drawbridge!

By Ian Townsend

None of our Divisional leaders claim a victory on a day of weather hit Bostik drama- it's our round up!

Title favourites Billericay Town saw their match with Harrow Borough postponed due to a waterlogged pitch- a fate which was shared by twelve other fixtures yesterday- yet they would still have been delighted by the outcome of the games that did go ahead, as the match of the day saw their rivals Dulwich Hamlet fall to defeat in front of almost seventeen hundred fans at Champion Hill.

Hamlet’s opponents, Merstham, had become the only side to take points from Billericay in December, picking up a draw at New Lodge and indeed coming close to winning the game. Yesterday, despite conceding an early goal to an excellent Ashley Carew free kick, they fought back in the second half and Charlie Penny scored a quickfire double as the Moatsiders moved up to seventeenth. If only they were as good against the rest of the league as they are against the top two they’d undoubtedly be much higher!

The matches at Folkestone Invicta and Staines Town were amongst the victims of the weather, but their positions in the table remain unchanged as Hendon, who did play, were held 3-3 at Needham Market. The Greens, who left top scorer and QPR trialist Nico Muir on the bench, went behind to a Jeremiah Kamanzi free kick after 12 minutes but got back into the game just after the half hour through Josh Walker and an Ashley Nathaniel-George double put them firmly in the driving seat in the second half. Market were not to be outdone, however, and Adam Mills reduced the arrears before scoring the equaliser with two minutes to go.

Neither of the sides who play at Fetcham Grove managed to pick up a point. Kingstonian, who were at home yesterday, saw their recent good run ended by Brightlingsea Regent- for whom Rob Harvey scored the winner with only seven minutes on the clock- whilst Leatherhead’s winning run finally came to an end at Thurrock, where Remi Sutton and Michael Pindy scored a quickfire double just before half time to earn all three points. Margate moved up to sixth with a 3-2 victory over Tooting & Mitcham United, but they were made to work hard for the points- falling behind to a goal from Peter Wedgeworth in the second minute before a Jordan Chedozie double put them ahead at half time. Sam Blackman made it 3-1 two minutes into the second half, but when Chace O’Neill pulled a goal back with 25 minutes to go the Terrors had their tails up, and only some staunch defending ensured all three points remained at Hartsdown Park.

Wingate and Finchley are now only a point behind yesterday’s visitors Metropolitan Police, Afolabi Obafemi scoring the only goal of the game early in the second half, whilst Dorking Wanderers must be wondering how they didn’t get all three points at Westhumble, given they were two-nil up against Harlow Town after only twelve minutes but ended up with a 2-2 draw. James McShane and Lewis Putman fired in the early goals, whilst Jared Small and Toby Ajala drew Town level.

The top match in the North Division saw AFC Hornchurch travel to fourth place Dereham Town, but it turned out to be much ado about nothing-nothing as neither side could break the deadlock at Aldiss Park. North Division performance of the day undoubtedly went to Soham Town Rangers, who turned the form book on its head after four defeats and a draw in their last five, trouncing third place Canvey Island by three goals to nil at the Frost Financial Stadium. Callum Russell put Rangers ahead in the thirteenth minute and John Kaye doubled their advantage a quarter of an hour later, and despite Canvey’s best efforts the next goal also went the way of the visitors, Russell making the game safe from the spot with nine minutes to go.

Barking’s inconsistent run continued as they fell three-one at AFC Sudbury, for whom an early Ryan Horne double and a third from Joe Whight gave them an unassailable lead in the first half. Billy Jones reduced the arrears with a penalty ten minutes from time, but it wasn’t enough to make a difference. Norwich United and Tilbury grabbed themselves an equal share of six goals at Plantation Park- five of them coming in a first half where United went ahead, went behind and then went ahead again to give their fans palpitations, whilst there was also a draw at Coles Park, as Haringey Borough were held 1-1 by Grays Athletic.

In the other match, Aveley beat Bury Town by a single goal to nil, Ryan Cosson the scorer.

The South Division saw a clash of the titans, as Cray Wanderers- nine-one winners over Ashford United in midweek- entertained Lewes, the side they replaced at the top of the table. They didn’t replace them for long, however, as the Rooks turned in a magnificent performance to limit the country’s top scorers to only one more goal whilst scoring two of their own. Omarr Lawson and Jamie Brotherton gave the away side a two goal cushion inside the opening ten minutes, and whilst Charlie MacDonald was able to reduce the arrears Lewes held on to jump back into pole position, helped towards the end by the sending off of home duo Mitchell Nelson and Barney Williams- the former for a second yellow and the latter apparently earning a straight red for foul and abusive language.

Carshalton Athletic are third, and cemented their position in style with a five-one victory over East Grinstead Town. An Omar Koroma double gave the Robins a first half lead, and Ola Sogbanmu and Ricky Korboa doubled that again in the second half, before Isaac Hutchinson reduced the arrears. Mickel Miller then wrapped up a fine performance with a last minute penalty- his 25th of the season; saying goodbye in style if reports that he is about to join Hamilton Academical in Scotland turn out to be true.

Walton Casuals move up to fourth, and you can read the story of an entertaining 1-0 victory over Ramsgate here as it was out Bostik Matchday featured game, whilst Corinthian-Casuals were the only one of the top six to lose, crashing 2-1 at Whyteleafe where they were unable to come back from conceding a first half Tommy Hutchings double. Phoenix Sports recent good run came to an end as they lost three-two at Faversham Town, who earned the victory with a last minute goal from Liam King, whilst Ashford United bounced back from that thrashing at Cray to go three-nil up at home to Hythe Town, only to concede three second half goals as the away side grabbed an unlikely point. Hastings United moved up to ninth, scoring four at Thamesmead Town- the home side got two in reply- whilst VCD Athletic moved up to eighteenth courtesy of a 3-1 home win over a Sittingbourne side struggling to recapture their early season form.

Horsham lost the other match, going down 2-1 to Herne Bay at Culver Road.

Where next?

A Stags Party! The Stags of Walton Casuals took on the Rams of Ramsgate. Here's the story of our #bostikmatchday feature.

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