A Shocktastic South East Saturday!

Leaders Hastings United had only lost one of their last ten, whilst their visitors, Hythe Town, had only one win from the same period, so perhaps the outcome was rather predictable, as the hosts won three-nil to retain their six point advantage. It was perhaps appropriate that Sam Adams, playing his six hundredth match for the club, got two of their goals- after eleven and forty minutes- and when Jack Dixon made it three just after the hour, that was that. One thousand, one hundred and two watched on.

We started the day with only one point between second and fifth, but the gap was four by full time. Cray Valley PM occupy that second spot courtesy of a hard-fought win over Whitstable Town. The Millers went behind on eighteen minutes, George Mcllroy with the goal, but Marcel Barrington just before the break and Hassan Ibrahiym ten minutes after it earned the three points.

Ramsgate saw their winning run come to an end at VCD Athletic. After a goalless first half Jason Williams gave Vickers the lead on fifty three minutes, and Lea Dawson made it two six minutes later. Oliver Bate got one back for the Rams nine minutes from time, but they slip to third.

Ashford United were on the road to draw specialists Three Bridges, but the Nuts and Bolts didn’t get anywhere near a draw, courtesy of Dan ‘Hitman’ Perry, who lived up to that moniker by scoring FOUR goals after the break. Curtis Gayler gave Bridges the lead just before half time, Perry added two just after it, and although Johan Ter Horst got one back just before the hour Perry responded with two more, to leave the visiting fans crying into their post-match beer. Bridges end the day in twelfth, United are fourth.

Haywards Heath Town picked up our AB1 Golden Gloves Award this week, and welcomed bottom side Phoenix Sports to Hanbury Park. Heath had kept four clean sheets in their last five matches and hadn’t tasted defeat in two months, but those runs came to an end as Alfie Evans got the only goal of the game for the visitors nine minutes after the break. The fact that they were down to ten men by then after Josh Dorling’s red card just before half time makes the win even more remarkable, and closes them to within three points of Whitstable Town and four of Sevenoaks Town.

Herne Bay, who had taken only two points from their last twelve, welcomed one of our form sides, East Grinstead Town. The Wasps were eight games unbeaten, but they came nowhere near making that nine, as Bay simply swept them aside, scoring four goals before the break. Adem Ramadan and dan Carrington got the first two, Zak Ansah the next two, and the fact that the second half was goalless wouldn’t have mattered one jot to the home fans. Bay are two points behind fifth place Haywards Heath with a game in hand.

Burgess Hill Town, winners of our Manager of the Month and Performance of the Month awards this week, have now lost twice since! Faversham Town, on their worst run of the season with five consecutive defeats, got deservedly back to winning ways- first half goals from Matt Bourne and Stefan Wright seeing them ease to victory.

Chichester City were on the road to Sittingbourne as eighth hosted tenth, but it was City who were higher placed by full time, Lloyd Rowlatt getting the only goal of the game on eighteen minutes.

Corinthian, having a fine first Isthmian season, were on the road to Whitehawk- and the two shared four goals- all of which came before the break. Alex Malins gave the Hawks the lead on sixteen minutes only for Jack Mahoney to equalise midway through the half, and then in the five minutes before the break Alex Laing gave the Hawks the lead once more and Jack Bath grabbed a leveller.

Finally, Sevenoaks Town welcomed a resurgent Lancing- who went five unbeaten and climbed to sixteenth with victory in this relegation tussle. Louis Collins gave the hosts a half time lead, but after the break Matt Daniel cancelled that out and, nineteen minutes from time, Mahamadou Jawara gave the Lancers the lead from the spot. Ryan Palmer seemingly earned Oaks a point eight minutes from time, but right at the end Andrew Dalhouse earned a vital win for the visitors.

Image: Paul Smith, at Sevenoaks Town v Lancing.

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