A Happy New Year for Hastings, Sudbury and Folkestone…

Premier Division

Folkestone Invicta have had a first half of the season, and kicked off the New Year on top of the pile- although only on goal difference. They travelled to face a Merstham side who had finally turned their form around, with four points from their last six- but it was the league leaders who struck first, Johan Ter Horst scoring after nineteen minutes. They struck second, too- Alfie Paxman doubling the lead just before the break, and Chinedu McKenzie ended the contest by getting number three fourteen minutes from time. There was still time for Ira Jackson to get a fourth from the spot, as Invicta ended the first day of 2020 the way they hope to end the season- as League leaders.

Worthing were hoping to take advantage of any Invicta slip up, and travelled to face local rivals Bognor Regis Town. The Mackerel Men came into this match with the best away record in the Division, with only one defeat on their travels- and they started by demonstrating how that came about, Alex Parsons firing them ahead after only ten minutes. Eight minutes after the break Joel Colbran made it two, and when Jesse Starkey got the visitors third with twenty minutes remaining all hope was lost for the hosts, and for most of the one thousand, two hundred and thirty six watching on.

Former leaders Horsham have fallen to third place in recent weeks, and had won only one of their last four matches coming into today’s game with Lewes. The Hornets were ahead on twelve minutes through Joe Shelley, and doubled that before the break as Rob O’Toole found the net- and my goodness it was a beauty, as the striker, with his back to goal, delivered a perfect overhead kick into the top corner. Jack Brivio got the third and made the points safe seven minutes into the second half.

Carshalton Athletic knew that they might climb to fourth place with victory at Leatherhead, but were also aware that it wouldn’t be easy, as the Tanners had lost only one league match in the last three months. Paris Hamilton-Downes put the Robins ahead on twenty four minutes, but the lead lasted for less than one hundred and eighty seconds before Travis Gregory levelled, to the delight of most of the four hundred and eighty nine in attendance. They were even more delighted four minutes after the restart as Ibrahim Olutade made it two-one, a result which saw the Tanners close to within four points of the Playoff positions.

Enfield Town, starting the day in sixth place, got back to winning ways on Boxing Day as they defeated Haringey Borough five-three in a topsy-turvy match. They hoped to keep that momentum going as they travelled to Potters Bar Town, and went ahead through an own goal after seventeen minutes. Ten minutes later, however, the Scholars scored at the right end, that man Bradley Sach doing what he does best.

Into the second half, and Billy Bricknell put the Towners in front once more just before the hour, and this time the Towners held on to their advantage to end the day in fifth.

Cray Wanderers, in seventh, travelled to Margate. Wands had lost their last two, whilst Gate had only one point from nine and were walloped at Folkestone last time out, so both had something to prove to their supporters-but Wands were the first to start proving it, Joseph Taylor putting them ahead just after the half hour. Taylor got his second three minutes after the restart, but Margate hit back almost immediately through the impressive Kadell Daniel and drew level under a quarter of an hour later through Noel Leighton.

Cray weren’t finished, however, and got back in front with twenty minutes remaining, Tom Murphy with their third- and they got a fourth ten minutes later, Ben Mundele putting daylight between them and their hosts. A Daniel penalty two minutes later saw Margate narrow the gap once more, but this time there wasn’t going to be a leveller and Wands climbed to sixth.

Ninth place East Thurrock United travelled to face a Bowers & Pitsea side who had three consecutive league wins under their belt. The Rocks broke the deadlock on twenty seven minutes through Darren Froxley, and it looked as if Bowers run was over when Frankie Merrifield got the second with twenty minutes remaining. Quentin Monville got one back in the very last minute, but it wasn’t enough as the Rocks held on for victory.

Fourteenth took on thirteenth as Bishop’s Stortford hosted Kingstonian. The K’s started the day above the Blues only on goal difference, but with three matches in hand over their opponents and unbeaten in six- and that’s only their league form and doesn’t include their successes in the FA Trophy. They faced a Stortford side who had got back on an even keel recently, with three matches undefeated after a period where their form was erratic to say the least. The opening goal came ten minutes before the break, Reece Hall putting the visitors ahead- and the K’s had a second within two minutes of the restart, Sean Clohessy with that one.

Jamie Cureton got one back from the spot with a minute to go, but it didn’t give them enough time to force an equaliser and the K’s climb to eleventh.

Haringey Borough are another side with matches in hand over those around them. The Coles Park side entertained Wingate & Finchley desperate to get back to winning ways after picking up only two points from the last fifteen, whilst the visiting Blues had only one win in ten and five points from thirty. It took fourteen minutes for the hosts to go ahead, Chid Onokwai with the opening goal, but they couldn’t hold on to it and Alex Read equalised for the visitors six minutes before the break. Borough were back in front with twenty five minutes remaining, Georgios Aresti with their second goal, and held onto their lead to climb to twelfth.

North Division

We had four matches in the North Division, but the top two, Maldon & Tiptree and Aveley, aren’t playing until Saturday- when they play each other.

Third place Bury Town looked to narrow the gap on the top two with victory at Cambridge City. Bury had only two defeats in their last ten, whilst their hosts had lost four of their last five- and the visitors got their noses in front with twenty eight minutes remaining as Ryan Jolland got the opening goal. They were ahead for only seven minutes before Chris Regis equalised for City, and after waiting sixty four minutes for one goal we had three twelve minutes later, Cemal Ramadan restoring Town’s lead with what proved to be the winner. Bury close to within a point of Aveley, whilst City are fourteenth.

Sixth place Histon were looking to jump back into the top five as they travelled to AFC Sudbury, but it quickly went badly wrong for the visitors, as the Yellows were a goal up after six minutes- Reece Harris with it- and three up just after the half hour, Freddie King and Baris Altintop putting clear daylight between the hosts and their opponents. The daylight was clearer still twelve minutes after the break as King made it four with his second of the match- and he got his hat trick with twenty two minutes remaining as Sudbury made it five; a result which sees them climb to twelfth.

Another side who wanted to be back in the Playoff places by full time were Heybridge Swifts, who hosted Felixstowe and Walton United. Evans Kouassi put Swifts ahead just before the half hour, but the Seasiders were level on the stroke of half time through Oliver Canfer. They remained level for fewer than two minutes before Alex Teniola-Time made it two-one to the hosts with his seventeenth goal of the campaign, and it was three a few minutes later, Harrison Chatting with the third. If Felixstowe still had hope it was severely diluted when Harry Knights saw red, and Swifts held on comfortably for a victory which lifted them to fourth.

Basildon hosted Grays Athletic. The Bees had followed a three match unbeaten run by losing their last two, whilst Grays were hoping to bounce back from their six-one hammering against Aveley on Boxing Day- but the last two minutes of the first half weren’t positive for the visitors, as the Bees scored twice- Adam Vyse opening the scoring and Ayo Odukoya getting the second almost immediately.

Grays weren’t downhearted, and two Tony Stokes goals after the break drew them level, but Basildon weren’t done, and Vyse put them back ahead from the spot eleven minutes later. The same player then got his hat trick, once more from the spot, and that cemented a four-two victory.

South Central

We had only one match in the South Central Division, and it saw fifth place Uxbridge travel to face Staines Town, who started the day in eighteenth.

Uxbridge had lost only two of their last ten, whilst the Swans had only two wins from the same period- but it was the home side who were soon ahead, Klajdi Cani scoring after only eleven minutes- and the same player doubled their lead from the spot two minutes before the break. The Red Army were given something to sing about thirteen minutes after the break as Mahlondo Martin halved the deficit, but the Swans were able to restore their two goal cushion when Joseph Wilson scored with only nine minutes to go- so that was that.

Only it wasn’t.

Callum Bunting almost immediately reduced the deficit, and then with a minute left Reece Yorke made it three-three and earned the visitors a point. Uxbridge remain fifth, and the Swans stay eighteenth.

South East

It was top versus bottom as Hastings United entertained East Grinstead Town. The last time the two sides met, in the Velocity Trophy, the Pilot Field crowd were enthralled as their side smashed home twelve goals, with Davide Rodari getting eight. Hastings knew they’d still be top at the end of New Year’s Day come what may, but they started this match against the Wasps as they finished the last one, going four-nil up within an amazing THIRTEEN minutes- Jake Elliott, Daniel Ajakaiye, Jack Dixon and Ben Pope filling their boots. Surprisingly the next thirty two minutes saw no further goals as the Wasps suddenly emerged from their stupor, but nine minutes after the break Dixon got his second and the hosts fifth.

The Wasps got a consolation seven minutes from time, Donte Lodge-Francis finding the back of the United net, but the hosts coasted to the finish to end the day four points clear at the top.

Second place Cray Valley PM travelled to seventh place Sevenoaks Town. The Millers had taken only five points from their last fifteen, but that’s one more than their opponents had managed, Sevenoaks having won only one in seven. The Oaks struck first, Bradley Schafter putting them ahead one minute before the break, but the Millers struck back to level twelve minutes from time through Denzel Gayle. Oaks remain seventh, Cray drop to third.

Ashford United, in third place, became the first side to defeat Hastings this season in their last home match, and followed that up with victory at Whitstable Town last time out. The Nuts and Bolts hosted Three Bridges, and Mohammed Kamara put them ahead after twenty four minutes, with David Smith delighting the home crowd by making it two three minutes before the break. It was three eleven minutes into the second half, Aaron Condon with the third- and that’s how it ended, the Nuts and Bolts climbing to second place, four points behind Hastings having played a match more.

We had a seaside derby as Herne Bay hosted Whitstable Town. Bay had lost only two of their last ten matches, a run which has seen them climb the table- and showed how by going ahead in the fourth minute, Tushaun-Tyreese Walters with the opening goal. Zak Ansah made it two after twenty six minutes, and when Walters got his second and Bay’s third with twenty eight minutes remaining there was no way back for the Oysterboys. Bay climb to sixth.

Finally, another Kent derby, as Hythe Town hosted Faversham Town. Hythe had been much improved of late, seven points from their last nine seeing them climb to fifteenth, whilst the Lilywhites had only one win in six and only two points from their last twelve- and the match continued in that vein, Kaka Dembele putting the hosts ahead after seventeen minutes and Sam Blackman making it two just before the break. Faversham did get one back, Michael Hagan scoring with eight minutes remaining, but they couldn’t find an equaliser. The Cannons go twelfth, Town are seventeenth.