And then there were two!

Our Pitching In Isthmian Premier action started, rather unusually, on Friday night- as Margate welcomed Cheshunt to the seaside.

Gate had previously won two of their three matches, with their only defeat coming against title favourites Hornchurch, whilst the Ambers, in contrast, had taken only one point from their opening three- but the expectation was that Cheshunt would soon come good, and indeed they did, taking a two-one win. James Meehan put them ahead on the hour, and although Phil Roberts equalised with his third goal of the season the winner arrived nine minutes from time, Bobby Unwin disappointing most of the five hundred and forty seven watching on. The Ambers are sixteenth.

Leaders Enfield Town welcomed a Cray Wanderers and five hundred and twenty six fans to the QEII Stadium, but neither side managed a first half goal. That soon changed after the break, and it was the Towners who struck first, Marcus Wyllie scoring for the fourth match in succession. Wyllie added another- his fifth of the season- just after the hour, and that was that- the Towners top on goal difference, Wands still to pick up a point.

Lewes hosted our match of the day, the Rooks welcoming Hornchurch to the Dripping Pan. The Rooks have been in the news headlines of late, with a proposal from a consortium to purchase 51% of their Women’s team seemingly dividing the fanbase, but a win over the Urchins would certainly have gone a long way towards bringing everyone together, and they got off to a good start, Deon Moore putting them ahead on twenty two minutes. The hosts added a second ten minutes later, Kalvin Lumbombo-Kalala confusing our spell checker for the third match in a row, but the Urchins halved that deficit just before the hour, Liam Nash with his fourth of the season. In the dying seconds of the match Nash silenced East Sussex with a leveller, and that was that. The Rooks drop to third, the Urchins are seventh, and both sides remain unbeaten.

Eight hundred and forty two crowded into the Dripping Pan.

Chatham Town have been something of a Premier revelation, and the latest side to challenge their perfect record were Potters Bar Town, who arrived at the Bauvill bottom of the table, without a point, and hoping that this would be the weekend for a change of fortune. That change of fortune looked unlikely when Danny Kedwell put the hosts ahead after only five minutes, to the delight of the vast majority of the one thousand, five hundred and eighty eight watching on. They’d have been even more delighted when Ashley Nzala’s second of the season made it two-nil with eleven minutes left, and the visitors ended the match with ten men after Prosper Keto saw red. Two-nil was the final score, the Chats off the top only on goal difference. Our image is from Max English- more here.

Billericay Town had won each of their opening three matches by one goal to nil, but knew early on that there would be a change to that statistic, as Charlie Walker put visitors Whitehawk ahead. Whitehawk started the day still searching for a first victory, but they looked good for three points when Charlie Lambert made it two seven minutes before the break, and even better when Joel Daly added a third four minutes before half time, leaving the home fans amongst the seven hundred and forty two in attendance dumbfounded. The Blues got a goal back with four minutes to go, Brooklyn Kabangolo with it, but that was the best they could manage, and they drop to fifth. Whitehawk climb to twelfth- and feel much better than on their last visit to New Lodge in October 2018, when they lost nine-one in the FA Cup!

Horsham, in sixth place at start of play, welcomed Dulwich Hamlet to Sussex. The Hornets had won their last two matches and looked in good form, and that continued with Jack Mazzone scoring from the spot on seven minutes. Hamlet levelled as Sanchez Ming was merciless from the spot on sixty three minutes, and the visitors were quickly ahead, Ademola Shokunbi adding a second. The Hornets were stung into action, and Tom Richards levelled with eight minutes to go. Was there time for a winner? Most of the one thousand and eighteen watching on hoped so, and perhaps they helped, as Daniel Ajakaiye made it three-two to Horsham right at the end to send his side up to fourth.

After two last-gasp draws on the road, Carshalton Athletic were back at Colston Avenue for the visit of Haringey Borough. The unbeaten Robins have been experts at scoring late goals, and they did it again, Tommy Bradford opening the scoring with just ten minutes left. That turned out to be the only goal, Athletic in sixth, the visitors yet to pick up a point.

Hashtag United defended an unbeaten record as Folkestone Invicta arrived at the Len Salmon, and they defended it successfully, but that’s all we have to say as neither side managed a goal.

Hastings United, under new ownership, welcomed another set of Seasiders to Pilot Field, Concord Rangers. United started unbeaten and were good value for their win at Dulwich Hamlet last time out, and they were ahead on twenty six minutes, Femi Akinwande continuing his fine start to the season with the opening goal- his third. It was two-nil just before the break, Davide Rodari with his first goal since his Hastings return. Rodari made it three with twenty two minutes left, and that’s how it ended, United in eighth.

There were eight hundred and forty three at Pilot Field, and any away fans in attendance haven’t yet seen their side pick up a point.

Wingate & Finchley welcomed Kingstonian to North London. The Blues bounced back well from opening day defeat to Folkestone Invicta, four points from their last two leaving them in mid table, and they went ahead in this one early on, Ruben Carvalho with the opening goal. The K’s picked up their first win of the season last time out, and they didn’t panic, levelling six minutes before the break through Louis Collins- but they were soon trailing once more, Carvalho restoring home advantage from the spot. Try as they might the visitors couldn’t get an equaliser, and the Blues held on for three points to go ninth.

Canvey Island haven’t yet hit the heights of last season, and were behind after only three minutes as Bognor Regis Town came to call, Jasper Mather opening the scoring. Arguably their biggest star of last season, Evans Kouassi, didn’t take that lightly and drew them level nine minutes later, but the Rocks were soon ahead once more, Isaac Olaniyan making it two-one on seventeen minutes. Three minutes before the break the home fans were shocked by a third Bognor goal, Matt Burgess with that one, and try as they might the hosts couldn’t hit back. Bognor are thirteenth, and celebrating their first win of the season.

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