A fine day for Hornchurch, who didn’t play!

Billericay Town have seen their title hopes evaporate after a run of four consecutive defeats, and hoped to get back on track as Hashtag United came to call. The one thousand and twenty two watching on had little to cheer in the first half, but nine minutes into the second half the travelling fans were left delighted, Sakariya Hassan opening the scoring for the Tags. The home fans soon had their own moment of joy, Callum Jones levelling for the Blues on sixty two minutes, but they were plunged into silence again two minutes later as Luke May-Parrott restored the visitors lead, his eleventh of the season- a record of better than one every two matches- and the same player added a third just five minutes later.

Three minutes from time the Tags added a fourth, Jermaine Anderson putting the icing on a fine second half performance, and although Alfie Cerulli pulled it back to two-four, that was that- the Tags in twelfth, the Blues left only three points clear of sixth place Enfield Town having played two games more.

Image from Nashy Photo.

Carshalton Athletic played host to second place Chatham Town. The Chats hoped to cut the Hornchurch lead at the top to six points, and had looked in fine form when winning their previous three; whilst the Robins needed three points to reignite their play off chase- and it was the hosts who made the breakthrough, Joseph Bell opening the scoring with his head on twenty three minutes.

Five hundred and sixty watched on, and they’ll have been overjoyed when Kwaku Frimpong made it two-nil in added time- and from the half way line- at the end of the match, ensuring victory for the Robins, who are seventh, only three points away from the top five. Chatham stay second, but the gap between them and Hornchurch is nine points, with the Urchins having three games in hand.

Lewes looked good when defeating Horsham last time out, and needed to build on that as Canvey Island travelled to the Dripping Pan. It took sixty three minutes for the opening goal to arrive, and when it arrived it was the home fans amongst the eight hundred and eighty two present who were celebrating along with Ryan Gondoh, the Rooks number ten firing home his fifth of the season. Into the last minute and it looked like three points were secure, but it turned out they weren’t, Sam Higgins delivering an equaliser for the visitors. Was there time for a winner? There was- and yet, there wasn’t! The Rooks charged back up the other end, and Jake Elliott ensured that parity lasted a matter of seconds, heading home to put Lewes two-one up- but that still wasn’t that, as two minutes later Higgins levelled for the second time, a free kick somehow finding its way through the wall and into the net.

Margate welcomed Horsham, both sides desperate for points for entirely different reasons. The hosts started the day a point clear of the bottom four, the Hornets two points away from a play off place, and it was the visitors- who fell to a first defeat in nine against Lewes last time out- who were quickly ahead, Shamir Fenelon taking only five minutes to make his mark. The second goal of the game was going to be critical, and with twenty four minutes left it arrived- once more going to the visitors. This time it was Charlie Hester-Cook finding the net, but the lead was halved with seventeen minutes left, Vinnie Bowman scoring for the hosts. Margate’s hopes of finding an equaliser were hit with nine minutes to go when they saw substitute Sam Blackman sent off, and they were quickly hit again, as Daniel Ajakaiye made it three-one to the visitors. That was that, the Hornets into the top five. Gate have played two games more than fourth bottom Cheshunt, who have one point to make up, and six games more than third bottom Concord Rangers, who are four points behind the Blues.

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