Farnham march on- and Uxbridge go second with victory

Farnham Town confirmed their title with six matches remaining, but we suspected they’d now be focused on breaking the one hundred point barrier- after all, they’d already scored more than a century of goals. Visitors Sutton Common Rovers might have hoped that their hosts had celebrated far too hard this week and were still hungover, but nothing could have been further from the truth, and Farnham roared into a three goal lead within thirty four minutes, Sam De St Croix, Adam Liddle and Kai Tanner all finding the back of the Rovers net. At that point, the hosts slackened their pace, but they went nineteen points clear nonetheless, whilst Rovers are eleven points from safety with five matches left and look doomed. 

Kingstonian’s downturn in form had left them clinging to second place only on goal difference- and they had what looked to be a difficult trip, as they headed to Leatherhead. The K’s had taken only eleven points from the last thirty available to them, but they were quickly ahead at Fetcham Grove, an own goal breaking the deadlock on six minutes. The Tanners drew level on twenty six minutes, Cameron Black with the equaliser, and then quickly went ahead, Alfie Huckle adding a second only two minutes later. It looked as if Leatherhead had done enough to win, but three minutes into added time the visitors levelled, Stan Flaherty surely earning them a point- but no! With ninety six minutes on the clock up stepped Matthew Everitt to deliver three crucial points for the Tanners, who are up to sixth, two points away from the top five. The K’s slip to third. 

Another contender for match of the day saw third place Uxbridge travel to take on seventh place Raynes Park Vale. Uxbridge started at top speed and went ahead after only five minutes, George Moore with his twenty first of the season. On ten minutes Kai Hobbs made it two-nil, but Vale looked to have made a game of it when Trevan Robinson got a goal back seven minutes before half time- but the hosts quickly conceded another, Dernell Wynter making it three-one at the break. The fourth Uxbridge goal arrived with nineteen minutes remaining, Andrio Brandao the scorer, and that was how it ended, a result which lifted the visitors to second place. 

Fourth place Hanworth Villa welcomed Ascot United, and the match was postponed in its early stages after someone in the crowd sadly took ill and needed urgent medical treatment. Thank you to all who tried to help, and our love and sympathies go out to his family. 

Sixth place Hayes & Yeading United were on the road- but it was rather a short trip as they travelled to Rayners Lane. United were two points away from the top five, and had only two defeats from ten- but both of those defeats had come in their last four matches- and they were behind in this one on twenty six minutes, Myles Anderson scoring for Lane. That turned out to be the only goal, and United slipped to seventh. 

Hartley Wintney had slipped to five points away from the top five, due to losing six of their previous eight. The Row’s play off hopes hung by a thread and needed to quickly rediscover their form as they travelled to take on a Harrow Borough side who were left with nothing to play for but pride- but the match had only one goal, and it went to Borough, Harry McCorkell delivering three points eight minutes from time. Borough are thirteenth, The Row down to tenth. 

Tenth place Moneyfields have had a rather positive first Isthmian season, particularly on their own patch, and hoped for more of the same as Southall made the trip to Portsmouth. The Moneys went ahead after twenty four minutes, Lewis Beale with the goal, and an own goal made it two-nil three minutes before half time. Beale added a third just before the hour, and the Moneys are only four points away from the top five. 

Westfield had a big weekend as they became the first away side to play at Guernsey’s new stadium- but it was rather bigger for their hosts, and not just because of their grand opening. The Green Lions started the weekend five points from safety with a game in hand, and in danger of leaving us next season, and after losing six in a row were rather keen to put on a show and kick start a bid for salvation. The visitors dominated much of the first half but it was the hosts who made the breakthrough, Ross Allen (rather predictably) scoring from the spot just before the break to give his side the lead. The visitors levelled on sixty seven minutes, Manolis Gogonas with the equaliser, and that was that- the Green Lions left seven points from safety as a result. 

Met Police, in seventeenth, welcomed the side two places and three points above them, Binfield. The boys in blue had a seven point gap between themselves and the drop zone at kick off, and were rather keen to make that bigger, but they fell behind after just eight minutes, Ethan Lindo striking for the Moles. On twenty six minutes the gap became larger, Rahzir Smith-Jones making it two-nil, but Met hit back a minute into the second half, Abu Gbla halving the deficit. The equaliser didn’t come, and Met are now only four points above the drop zone. 

South Park Reigate, three points above the drop zone, travelled to Horndean, their hosts six points better off. The Deans were nervously looking over their shoulders despite their nine point breathing space, as they’d gone ten matches without a win and indeed had lost seven of those, including their previous four- and they went behind in this one four minutes before half time, George Vincent the bright Spark. Three minutes later Brad Sweeney made it two-nil to the visitors,  and the points were wrapped up when Craig McGee made it three with twenty five minutes remaining. It was to get worse for the hosts. Nineteen minutes from time Vincent made it four, and soon an own goal made it five- and that was followed by a red card for deans keeper Cameron Scott. Sweeney added a sixth, and then the ten men got a goal back, Billy Allcock with not much of a consolation. The Sparks, despite that, remain three points clear of fourth bottom. 

Finally, Ashford Town were only three points from safety at kick off after some much improved form. The Tangerines, who have spent all season playing away from home, had won three of their previous four, results which had given them real hope of survival- and were determined to pick up another victory as bottom side Badshot Lea made the trip to Cobham. The opening goal went to Town, Jack Arnold opening the scoring on fifteen minutes, and it was two-nil at half time, George Vorster with the second. Vorster added a third just after the hour, and that was that- but the Tangerines remain three points from salvation. The Baggies, sadly, see relegation confirmed. 

It will be sad to see them go, and not only because of their magnificent burgers and fabulous programmes.