Advantage Chats

By Ian Townsend

Whitehawk, Cray Valley, Sheppey and Hythe win in the battle for the play offs, and things look dire for Faversham and Corinthian.

Ramsgate welcomed Beckenham Town on the back of an eleven match unbeaten run, and made it twelve, but once again needed a late equaliser to take a point. Becks took the lead on nineteen minutes through Steve Townsend, and held it until six minutes from time, Tijan Jadama with the equaliser- but it wasn’t enough to allow the hosts to hold onto top spot. One thousand and sixty two watched on, and they saw the Rams down to second, Becks in fifth.

Seven draws from twelve is rather a worrying statistic for the Rams despite that unbeaten run- and the latest, coupled with a Chatham Town win at Lancing, allowed the Chats to take over at the top, as well as opening up a two point lead. Town had to fight for their victory, only a second half Jack Evans goal separating the two sides- but delivering a fourth win in a row. Image from Max English.

Third place Whitehawk hosted a Sussex derby, Chichester City making the journey along the A27. The Hawks had slipped up a little of late, losing their last two, but they were quickly ahead in this one, Kris Oti taking only three minutes to break the deadlock. An Alfie Rogers penalty on the hour ensured victory- and took the Hawks to six points clear of the chasing pack.

Cray Valley PM, in fourth, made the trip to Greatness Park to take on Sevenoaks Town- and left with three goals and three points. The Millers have lost only one of their last nine, and victory was comfortable in the end. Dan Bennett opened the scoring on forty minutes and closed it on ninety, whilst Julien Anau got the second, a quarter of an hour from the end. Cray are four points clear of sixth place with three games remaining.

Sheppey United kept their play off hopes alive with a late winner as they welcomed Three Bridges. The visitors went ahead just before the break, Curtis Gayler with the opener, and although Warren Mfula levelled just after the restart Bridges went ahead again soon afterwards, Kevin Rivera with the goal. On sixty three minutes Eddie Allsopp looked to have earned the Ites a point, but they got all three when Mfula scored again two minutes from time- and are two points behind fifth place Beckenham Town, although Becks have a game in hand.

Hythe Town travelled to Burgess Hill Town, both sides needing points for entirely different reasons. The Cannons, four points away from the top five at kick off, hadn’t yet given up on their promotion aspirations- whilst the Hillians haddropped into the bottom four after VCD Athletic’s win yesterday and need a victory- indeed, they needed one very much after five defeats from their last six. The match was entirely one sided, the Cannons three up by the break- Frannie Collin with two and Ethan Smith with a third- and although Dan Perry reduced the arrears on fifty six minutes the visitors soon added a fourth, Jason Fregene with that one- and they close the gap on fifth place to two points. Hill drop to eighteenth.

East Grinstead Town welcomed Sittingbourne. The travelling Brickies were nine unbeaten- a run which had seen them open up a seven point gap over the bottom four- and their confidence shone through when Donvieve Jones but them a goal up after just two minutes. Jones added another five minutes into the second half, and although the Wasps made things interesting when Glenn Wilson scored a penalty five minutes from time the last word went to the Brickies, Mitchell May making it three right at the end. Sittingbourne are safe- the Wasps have a five point cushion over the bottom four so look likely to join them.

On Good Friday VCD Athletic moved out of the bottom four with a critical win over Ashford United. All of the goals came after the break, and Vickers got the first two, Muraino Banjoko opening the scoring on forty seven minutes and Soul Kader continuing his one man crusade to save his side on sixty five. Johan Ter Horst got one back for the Nuts and Bolts with ten minutes left, but that was that- and United are down to eighth, three points away from the top five.

We had a massive match on Salters Lane as bottom side Faversham Town welcomed eighteenth place Haywards Heath Town. The Lilywhites started the day thirteen points from safety with only five matches left to play, and ended it twelve points from safety with four left after a two-two draw. Matt Parsons gave the hosts the lead on twelve minutes, but they held it for only a minute before Michael Uwezu levelled. Tyler Christian-Law restored home advantage midway through the first half, but Uwezu had the last word with an equaliser eight minutes after the restart. Heath are fourth from bottom, one point from safety, whilst Faversham must make up a ten point gap with four games remaining just to have a chance of obtaining a relegation play off spot.

Second bottom Corinthian also look doomed, a draw against Littlehampton Town surely not enough.Oliver Box put the Hoops ahead on twenty five minutes, but an equaliser arrived soon afterwards, Devon Fender with that. Marshall Ball was dismissed in the second half for the visitors, but it didn’t help the hosts, who now have only a relegation play off place to aim for- and are eight points from that with three games to go.

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Where next?

Highlights: Lewes 3 Herne Bay 3 Both sides were desperate for points- and both delivered goals, but had to be happy with one point each
Blues and Urchins grind out narrow wins, Canvey hit four- and Casuals relegation is confirmed We’ve three points between the top three, and three points between fifth and eighth as the race for the play offs gets closer still

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