Performance of the Month? We’d struggle to pick a Performance of the Day!

Normally when we write a round up we start at the top of the table and work towards the bottom. Today however, in the Premier Division at least, we’re doing it back to front, as perhaps the most remarkable performances came from sides at the bottom.

We’ll begin in Harlow, where we had an absolutely crucial clash between two sides trying to avoid the drop, as the Hawks took on Wingate and Finchley. This had dour battle written all over it, but it must have been written in a language that the players couldn’t understand as they went on to score nine goals between them! And perhaps even more astonishingly, the away side got seven of them- and they were four goals up after only twenty one minutes!

Sean Cronin got the first two, the second on seventeen minutes, and then Anthony Mendy managed a two minute double, both coming from defensive errors. Reece Beckles-Richards took a further twelve minutes to get the fifth, before Matt Foy got a goal which was no consolation whatsoever just before the break. In the second half Charlie Cole made it six, Emile Acquah got a second for the hosts, only for Cronin to complete his hat trick and make it seven-two.

Wingate & Finchley remain in the bottom three, but only on goal difference, as they are now level on points with Whitehawk, who lost at Worthing. David Ajiboye’s early penalty and a second half goal from Callum Kealy gave the Mackerel Men all the points and lifted them to fifth in front of a crowd of one thousand and thirty at Woodside Road.

Another Sussex club, Burgess Hill Town, brought in an entire new strikeforce prior to yesterday’s match in the hope that they would fire them to safety. It looked a big ask, but then they were playing a Kingstonian side in freefall, and Simon Wormull’s men not only took advantage of the K’s turmoil but both new strikers found the net! The K’s took the lead at King George’s Field, Nathan Minhas scoring six minutes before the break. There were two more goals before the half time whistle went, a Ross Murdoch equaliser for the visitors before James Kaloczi restored the lead for the home side.

Kingstonian had lost to two of the bottom three over the last fortnight, and in the second half that became an unwanted hat trick. First Murdoch got his second, and then with ten minutes to go Tommy Wood made it three goals and the same number of points, moving the Greens to within five points of safety. K’s manager Dean Brennan departed after the match, having only been in charge a month, and whilst the club are eight points clear of the bottom three they will still be looking nervously over their shoulders this morning.

We’ll head back to the top now, and there was a shock at Meadowbank as Dorking Wanderers’ eleven match winning run was ended by Carshalton Athletic. The Robins have been in magnificent form themselves, and they recovered from falling behind to a Luke Moore goal in the first half to come back with three of their own after the break, Bobby Price and a Tommy Bradford double putting them in the driving seat. Elliott Buchanan pulled it back to 2-3 with four minutes remaining, but the late comeback didn’t materialise, and Athletic moved to within one point of the playoffs as well as increasing their unbeaten run to eleven matches.

It wasn’t all bad news for Wanderers, however. Second place Haringey Borough remain thirteen points behind the Meadowbank side, as they fell to a 2-0 defeat at Bishop’s Stortford, courtesy of a goal in each half from Ben Worman. The Blues are twelfth.

Third place Tonbridge Angels got an early goal and a late goal, Chinedu Mckenzie and Joe Turner with them, to defeat a Corinthian-Casuals side who remain four points above the drop zone, whilst fourth place Merstham fell to a 1-0 defeat at a resurgent Margate, Noel Leighton with the winner. Gate have now won five and drawn two of their last seven matches.

Playoff contenders Enfield Town and Bognor Regis Town shared six goals equally at Donkey Lane, two of them coming in the first quarter of an hour, the other four in the last sixteen minutes. Lewis Taafe put the Towners ahead only for Theo Widdrington to equalise, and that was that until the seventy-fourth minute when Brad Lethbridge put the Rocks in front for the first time. Sam Chaney ensured that lead lasted only four minutes, only for Mason Walsh to score with eight minutes remaining. Once more Bognor couldn’t hold on, Kezie Ibe finding an equaliser with three minutes left to delight most of the four hundred and eighteen in attendance.

Brightlingsea Regent, Lewes, Leatherhead and Folkestone Invicta still have playoff hopes, but each of them got only one points and no goals yesterday after they played out goalless draws at the Taydal and Fetcham Grove, whilst in our final match Potters Bar Town couldn’t pull further clear of the drop zone, the gap four points, whilst their opponents AFC Hornchurch made the margin eight points with the only goal of the game, Sean Marks getting it eleven minutes from time.

North Division

Leaders Bowers and Pitsea looked to have a potentially tricky match in prospect, as they travelled to sixth place Bury Town- but they made it look anything but tricky as they recorded their eleventh consecutive victory in some style. David Knight got two- doesn’t he always- whilst Max Cornhill got two more and Lewis Manor got his customary goal before the end. Ollie Hughes had earlier got a goal back for Bury, but it made little difference as the Bowers juggernaut drove relentlessly on.

Bowers got some more good news, as the gap between themselves and the chasing pack grew after Maldon & Tiptree lost. And how they lost, falling four-one at home to now third place Coggeshall Town. Conor Hubble did the early damage for the Seed Growers, putting them two up at the break, and although Jack Cawley got one back for the Jammers just after the break late goals from Ross Wall and Nnamdi Nwachuku made it four-one as Town recorded their seventh consecutive victory of a wonderful first Bostik League season.

It wasn’t a good day for people in the Maldon area, as the Jammers neighbours Heybridge Swifts were also on the end of a hammering. In the case of Julian Dicks men it was Barking who did the damage, scoring three times before the break and running out four-one winners. Ryan Cosson gave Justin Gardner’s side the lead on the quarter hour, and Joseph Oluwatobi doubled it eleven minutes later. Harrison Chatting got one back for Swifts, but it was a brief reprieve as Nana Boakye-Yiadom made it three. Billy Reynolds scored Barking’s fourth three minutes from time.

Dereham Town notched a magnificent three points at Canvey Island, two from Joe Gatting sandwiched between goals from Ryan Crisp and Rhys Logan as they won by four goals to one. James White got the Canvey goal. Canvey have now lost seven of their last eight, whilst the Magpies have surely got themselves firmly out of trouble, climbing a full ten points away from the drop zone after losing only two games in their last ten. One of Alan Palmer's fabulous images headlines this article- we'll link you to the rest when they are posted.

After taking only one point from their last twenty-one Basildon United got back to winning ways against Romford. They fell behind to a George Woodward goal after only twelve minutes, but staged a stirring second half comeback as Daniel Cheema, Callum Taylor and Joe Paxman scored to deliver what ended as a comfortable victory. Romford are nine points from safety, and a second great escape in two seasons is looking increasingly unlikely. Mildenhall Town look likely to be accompanying the Borough, but at least they picked up a point yesterday- and indeed will be disappointed it wasn’t three, as they twice lead at home to Tilbury. John Sands got their first goal, Tom Barton equalising, but when Joseph Asensi put Hall ahead with thirteen minutes to go Recreation Way had hope. It lasted but two minutes, Lewis Smith getting a point for the Dockers.

Witham Town were held at home by Felixstowe and Walton United, both goals coming in the first half as Chinedu Vine gave the home side the lead before Callum Bennett equalised, and the match between Great Wakering Rovers and Soham Town Rangers had a similar outcome, Alfie Connor equalising for Rangers with eighteen minutes remaining after Jake Gordon had given Rovers an early lead.

Grays Athletic and AFC Sudbury got five goals between them, three for the home side, after a late flurry gave them all three points. Callum Harrison put Sudbury ahead, whilst Mitchel Hahn equalised just before the break- and in the last thirteen minutes goals from Aron Gordon and Michael Toner made it three-one. There was still time for Phil Kelly to make the last seconds interesting with a ninetieth minute goal, but it wasn’t enough and Grays climb to ninth.

South Central

The unthinkable happened last week- Hayes & Yeading United lost! But lightning didn’t strike twice, as they resumed normal service in style yesterday winning six-one at relegation-threatened South Park. Scott Donnelly gave United the lead on twenty three minutes, but it lasted for only three minutes as Great Evans equalised for the Sparks.

United weren’t shaken by this setback. Josh Chamberlain restored the lead before the break, and in the second half the floodgates opened, Lee Barney, Donnelly, Toby Little and Chid Onokwai making it six-one.

Bracknell Town are fourteen points behind the leaders, and they won a hard-fought match against Tooting & Mitcham United 3-1 at Larges Lane, aided by a wind-assisted own goal which you can see HERE, courtesy of Football in Bracknell. The Terrors went into the break ahead, David Carty with their goal, but in the second half Liam Ferdinand, that own goal and Joseph Grant made the points secure for the Robins.

Marlow are a point further back, a Chris Ovenden goal giving them all the points against Ashford Town, whilst Cheshunt are fourth, two from Brian Moses and another from Mark Hughes- all coming in the last half an hour- giving them victory over bottom side Egham Town. That’s five wins out of six for the Ambers.

The gap between fifth and sixth is six points, as Westfield ensured a clean sweep of victories by walloping Hertford Town 5-2 in Woking. There were five goals in the first half, the first three from the home side as George Frith and two from Aaron Watson put them ahead, but Town bounced back, Jamie Calvin and Daniel Bond making it three-two at the break. Tinashe Nkoma and Elijah Simpson made the points safe in the second half.

Sixth place Ware kept up the pressure on the top five with a three-two win over FC Romania. On the hour mark they were three-nil up, Jack Daveney, Brandon Adams and Dave Cowley doing the damage, but the Wolves made them sweat at the end, Cristi Iacob and Roddy Lemba making it 3-2 in the last eight minutes.

Waltham Abbey are two points further back, Nathan Koranteng and Rimmell Daniel giving them a 2-1 win over Bedfont Sports, for who Scott Harris got the goal, whilst a 2-0 win for Northwood over Chipstead- Tremayne Charles and Daniel Pett with the goals just before and just after the break- saw Woods end the day in ninth place.

Hanwell Town are tenth, a one-nil win over Uxbridge seeing both sides end the game with ten men. Brian Testolin scored the only goal five minutes from time.

South East Division

Prior to yesterday, leaders Cray Wanderers had only lost one match all season. Six minutes into yesterdays match at Hastings United it looked unlikely that this would change, as Archie Johnson and Joseph Taylor had already given them a two-nil lead. But change it did. United took only three further minutes to get back into the match, Sam Cruttwell reducing the arrears, and they were level before the break, Davide Rodari equalising. In the second half there was only one goal, and it came to Hastings, Jack Dixon firing home the winner.

Wanderers are thirteen points ahead, Horsham closing the gap with victory at Greenwich Borough. A goal in each half through Joe Shelley and Chris Smith, the second from the spot, saw the Hornets return to winning ways and put fourteen points between themselves and sixth place Hythe Town. Borough remain in nineteenth, and lost a little ground to Guernsey, who got a 2-2 draw in our early kick off at Herne Bay despite falling two goals behind. Danny Leonard and Ronald Sobowale gave Bay the lead only for Frank Tobin and Liam Mahon to bring the Green Lions level.

A late Danny Parish goal gave Ashford United the three points against East Grinstead Town after the match had remained goalless for eighty five minutes, whilst fifth place Haywards Heath Town had to come from behind at home to Whyteleafe. Junior Aikhionbare scored the opener after thirteen minutes, but after the break Andrew Dalhouse and a double from Callum Saunders kept the points at Hanbury Park.

Hythe Town and Ramsgate played out a 2-2 draw at Reachfields, Kane Rowland putting the Rams ahead before an own goal drew Hythe level. In the second half Tom Carlton gave the home side the advantage, only for Charlie Dickens to fulfil the Rams great expectations (sorry) and drive the home fans around the Oliver Twist (sorry again) with an equaliser fifteen minutes from time.

VCD Athletic won a thrilling match at Faversham Town 4-3. Alex Gaggin and Joe Denly put Vickers two up within nine minutes, Michael Freiter pulling a goal back just before the break, but Usman Adeniji and Denny once more gave the away side a 4-1 advantage with twenty five minutes to go. In the last six minutes first Jamie Maxted and Rolando Onu made the final moments interesting, but VCD held on to take the points and go level with Hythe, in seventh place. Image from Philip Paine shows a Faversham attack- thanks Philip.

A Jeff Duah-Kessie penalty was the only goal of the game as Phoenix Sports defeated Sevenoaks Town, whilst Whitstable Town defeated Sittingbourne 2-1. Harry Stannard and Jordan Wright gave the Oysterboys a two goal lead, and whilst Timileyin Tolowanile pulled a goal back the brickies couldn’t find an equaliser. Whitstable climb to fourteenth, three points behind the Brickies.