Ambers shock Blues to take the final play off spot

Our big match came from the edge of north London, as Cheshunt welcomed Bishop’s Stortford. The Blues hadn’t conceded a goal since Saturday 5th February, and hadn’t lost a match since January 8th, but yesterday they did both, the Ambers scoring the only goal of the game in the fifth minute to end up in that fifth place, their play off semi final opponents likely to be…Bishop’s Stortford. Kayne Diedrick-Roberts got that all-important goal, and whilst Stortford are likely to get a very speedy chance of revenge, what a season both have had.

Image from Amy Eve.

Folkestone Invicta and Lewes both needed to win to give themselves a chance of that final play off spot, but both failed to do so; indeed both lost by a single goal. Invicta lost a seaside derby against Margate, who bounced back from their Velocity Trophy Final defeat in midweek to end the promotion hopes of Neil Cugley’s men. Ben Greenhalgh got the only goal six minutes before the break, his twenty third of the campaign. At the same time the Rooks were at Sussex rivals Bognor Regis Town, and the Rocks improvement under Robbie Blake continued, Dan Gifford with the all important goal eleven minutes from time.

It turned out that five of the top seven lost, and apart from Cheshunt the only winners were Enfield Town, who saw a goal in each half defeat Potters Bar Town. Lyle Della-Verde opened the scoring on seventeen minutes at the LA Construction Stadium, and that man Mo Faal rounded things off seven minutes from time.

The Towners are level on points with third place Hornchurch, who travelled to Bowers & Pitsea for Rob Small’s home farewell and were undone by the hosts and a wave of supporter emotion. Michael Ademiluyi and Jamie Dicks put the hosts two up within the first twelve minutes, and although Charlie Ruff got one back just after half time the hosts held on.

Our champions, Worthing, won’t get to their one hundred point target after a comprehensive defeat at Horsham. Dayshonne Golding gave the Mackerel Men the lead after seventeen minutes, but Lee Harding- the Hornets player of the season- equalised on the stroke of half time, and after the break Lucas Rodrigues and Charlie Harris gave the Lardy Army much opportunity to sing about unhealthy fat products. They were taking on ten men by then, Aarran Racine departing with a red card ten minutes before the break.

At the other end of the table Leatherhead are two points from safety with one match to go. Boss Luke Tuffs has done a super job for the Tanners since his arrival, and they got another point at Kingstonian with yet another late goal, a point that perhaps gives them a chance on Saturday. Daniel Ajakaiye opened the scoring for the K’s on sixteen minutes only for Aaron Lamont to level just before the half hour, but the K’s lead was restored by Kershaney Samuels nine minutes after the restart and it looked, with the match ebbing to a close, that the hosts would take three points- but the equaliser, an own goal, came deep into added time.

Second bottom Merstham are level on points with both the Tanners and third bottom Cray Wanderers, who host fourth bottom East Thurrock United on Wednesday. The Moatsiders lost their tenth game in a row, this one against Wingate & Finchley, despite a Korrey Henry goal fifteen minutes from time. By then the Blues had two, Dylan Kearney just before the break, Theo Ofori on the hour.

Brightlingsea Regent are virtually safe after crushing Haringey Borough. It didn’t look like a crushing victory as they went into the last ten minutes, only Valter Rocha’s twenty first minute goal separating the two, but one from Zack Littlejohn and another from Aaron Blair in the seven minutes before the end meant it was cause for celebration at the Taydal.

Finally, Carshalton Athletic welcomed Corinthian-Casuals in a mid table battle, and a Mo Diallo double gave the points to the visitors, despite the Robins going ahead after just five minutes through Ore Bell.

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