Trawlerboys keep up the fight

Now they will hope that Suffolk neighbours Leiston will do them a favour when they host leaders Whitehawk this afternoon. Hawks need four points from their two matches to be sure of the title and they face a tricky final game at home to in-form play-off contenders East Thurrock next Saturday.

The Trawlerboys travel to third-placed Wealdstone and relegation candidates Wingate to complete a run of five away games in ten days before hosting mid-table Hendon on the last day.

After the league’s longest journey, Lowestoft took the lead on the Sussex coast with a long-range drive from Michael Frew midway through the first half.

Keeper Andrew Plummer played his part by saving Terry Dodd’s penalty and Erkan Okay made it 2-0 with ten minutes left.
They made sure of a play-off place, at the very least, and two other teams also booked their post-season slots with 2-0 away victories.

Scott McGleish (pictured courtesy of Steve Foster/Wealdstone FC) claimed his 20th Premier goal of the season – including three for Whitehawk and 12 for Enfield Town – when Tom Pett’s shot came back off a post, putting Wealdstone ahead after 18 minutes at relegation-threatened Carshalton. Pett himself added the second in the 68th minute.

Concord gained their 2-0 success at Met Police, who started the day in fifth place. Nicky Cowley struck in the first minute for the Beachboys and they got their second in the 18th minute, a Steve King header.

The result also guarantees that Concord finish above their Canvey Island neighbours for the first time in their history. Maybe the local council will now signpost Concord’s ground as efficiently as they do Canvey’s!

There are seven teams still in contention for the final play-off place but East Thurrock are very much in the driving seat, having reclaimed fifth place with – yes! – a 2-0 win, although theirs was on home turf against Wingate.

The two Sams, Higgins and Collins, got the goals in the game’s third quarter. Not only are Rocks at the top of the contending septet, but they have three games to play, more than all except one of the others.

Margate ended their losing run with a 2-2 draw at Bury but are three points behind East Thurrock and have only one match left. John Sands put Bury ahead soon after half-time with his 26th league goal of the season, strengthening his grip on the division’s Golden Boot.

Dean Pooley responded with his first goal of the season, heading home a free-kick, and then got another one to put Margate ahead with 11 minutes left. But Adam Tann headed an 86th-minute equaliser and the Kent club are almost out of the play-off picture. Bury, too, are hanging on, four points adrift with two games left.

Met Police trail East Thurrock on goal difference but have played a game more, as have Canvey who are a point behind them.

Canvey put visiting Hastings to the sword in the first half but had to wait until the 45th minute for Harrison Chatting’s opening goal. Hastings promptly equalised with a goal in added time from Zac Attwood and neither side could break through in the second half as it finished 1-1, a result that hardly suited either side.

Hendon, despite a 3-2 home defeat by Enfield Town, are still in with a slight chance. They are level on points with Bury, who lead them only on goals scored. Enfield, now safe from the threat of relegation, were two up in 18 minutes through Joe O’Brien and Tyler Campbell and got a third before the interval through Liam Hope.

Dave Diedhiou reduced the arrears soon after the restart and O’Brien’s headed own goal with 13 minutes left made it a nervous ending for the visitors.

Completing the play-off picture are Kingstonian, for whom Lewis Taylor scored in the 83rd minute to clinch a 1-0 home win over Thurrock, who had skipper Stuart Thurgood sent off near the end. K’s are the only other contending side with three matches left, but trail Rocks by six points.

The relegation picture remains confused, with Hastings still at the bottom after their draw but with three matches to play.

Carshalton’s defeat puts them back in the bottom two, a point above Hastings, and they have only one match left. Wingate and Thurrock are a point ahead of them with two games to go.

One more point ahead are Lewes, also with two left, after their crucial 2-0 win at Harrow. Nathan Crabb scored twice in 11 minutes either side of half-time.

Cray were yet another side to pick up precious points with a 2-0 victory. Danny Phillips gave them a 62nd-minute lead at home to Hampton and Michael Power made sure with a penalty in the closing moments. It was only Cray’s third home win of the season and they are four points clear of Carshalton, as are Harrow.

It all means that, with just a week left in the campaign, only four clubs - Leiston, Bognor, Hampton and Enfield - know for sure that they will be in this division next season.