Horsham take the title- by one goal- on a dramatic final day!

Three teams, only goal difference keeping them apart. One match remaining. Who would win the title? 

Billericay Town were the slight favourites- very slight- ahead of Horsham by one goal on goal difference, two if it came down to goals scored. Dartford, leaders on the penultimate day of the season, needed to win by a rather unlikely hatful or hope that neither of the two sides above them could triumph. By the time we’d reached quarter past three all three were behind, which perhaps demonstrated the nerves on show! 

Billericay welcomed Cheshunt. The Blues were hoping for a fourth win in a row, whilst the travelling Ambers, who got back to winning ways against Wingate and Finchley on Monday after losing four in a row, had nothing to play for but pride. The sold out signs had appeared over New Lodge in midweek, and the blue hordes watched on, hoping to be celebrating a League and Cup double by five o’clock- but the first thing they had to do was worry, as Cheshunt went ahead on fifteen minutes, Raul Da Silva the scorer. The worries continued two minutes later as Dequane Wilson Braithwaite made it two to the visitors, but the Blues gave themselves hope just before the break when Frankie Merrifield got one back.

Four minutes into the second half, pandemonium, Matt Johnson levelling the match- but with Horsham ahead they needed more. On fifty six minutes they got another, De-Carrey Sherriff making it three-two and completing a magnificent turnaround, but would it be enough? By that point Horsham were four-one up and ahead on goal difference, and then the Hornets added a fifth! Six minutes into added time Charlie Panton made it four-two, and the goal difference gap at the top was down to one. Could they? This time, they couldn’t- Horsham taking the title by virtue of a goal difference ONE better than the Blues. 

Billericay welcome Dover Athletic on Wednesday in the Play Off Semi-Final. 

Horsham had won seven in a row and welcomed Hashtag United and another sold out crowd of two thousand five hundred. The Hornets defeated the Tags four-one in August, and hoped for a similar scoreline this time around, but they were shocked on thirteen minutes as Max Cornhill put the visitors ahead. They quickly recovered- it took only two minutes for Ola Ogunwamide to level and to take them to the top of the live table- and then they saw a spot kick saved. They were ahead nine minutes before the break when Lucas Rodrigues put them in front, and held that lead at the break. Six minutes into the second half Harvey Sparks made it three-one, and just after the hour Jake Elliott added a fourth- which put the Hornets top on goal difference despite the fact that Billericay had gone ahead at New Lodge! On sixty five minutes Rodrigues made it five-one, and then the Hornets wasted their SECOND penalty of the afternoon- but as it turned out, it didn’t matter. Horsham win the title by just one goal- and reach National League South for the first time in their history. Many congratulations to the Hornets and their Lardy Army- and to boss Dom Di Paola, whose ten years in charge have brought success after success. 

Once we get a celebration picture we'll update our headline image- this one is from Lee Wellings! 

Third place Dartford were in first place prior to Monday’s draw at Cray Wanderers, which perhaps demonstrated just how tight this race for the title has been. They were seven unbeaten, whilst Athletic had won their previous two and put five past Dulwich Hamlet on Monday so were also in decent form. The visitors went ahead in this one early on, Kola Salami scoring on eleven minutes and deep in first half added time it was two-nil, Sharon Ifeanyi delighting the travelling Robins. The Darts hit back on sixty six minutes, George Whitfield the scorer, but the next goal went to the visitors, Nabeel Ghannam making it three-one. In added time Ghannam added a fourth, and the Darts will need to quickly put this behind them as they host Cray Valley PM on Wednesday. 

Fourth place Cray Valley PM welcomed Folkestone Invicta. The Millers were already secure in fourth spot and just waiting to find out who they will travel to face in a Play Off Semi-Final, but had lost only one of ten and were hoping to end the regular campaign by making it six wins in a row. Invicta ended a five match winless run last time out, and were quickly ahead in this one, Dan Smith opening the scoring on four minutes by pouncing on a clearance and putting it away. Eleven minutes into the second half Matthias Fanimo added a second for the visitors, and an added time goal for Andre Coker for the Millers was only a consolation. The Millers travel to Dartford on Wednesday. 

Chichester City hosted Dover Athletic, sixth v fifth. Again, the two sides were separated only by goal difference, but that meant that City needed to win- all Athletic had to do was stop them from doing so. Oaklands Park was filled with hope, and it was filled with noise on twenty five minutes as Lewis Rustell put the hosts ahead. The noise was at the other end six minutes before half time when George Nikaj levelled for Athletic, and the away fans found their voice again twenty minutes from time when Ruben Soares-Junior made it two-one. Deep in added time Luke Baptiste added a third from the spot for the visitors, and they travel to Billericay Town on Wednesday night. 

One thousand, three hundred and fifty six watched on- and the home contingent have had a magnificent season despite this disappointment. 

Elsewhere, there was nothing left to decide. 

Dulwich Hamlet had lost six of their previous seven and just want to put the campaign behind them and focus on the next one. Chatham Town were three without a win after a previous good run and hoped to end their season on a positive note- and they went ahead at Champion Hill on nineteen minutes courtesy of Freddie Sears. Hamlet levelled twenty minutes from time, Max Hudson with the equaliser, but the Chats were soon ahead once more, John Ufuah making it two-one. 

Three thousand and ninety four watched on- another magnificent crowd when you consider that Hamlet haven’t provided a great deal of entertainment of late- but they did have something to cheer late on, Mark Marshall equalising for the hosts five minutes into added time. 

Cray Wanderers, in tenth as we kicked off, had gone two matches without a win. They travelled to face Lewes, who had lost their last two and hoped to give their fans- and their manager- a decent send off. Wands hadn’t defeated the Rooks since August 2021, but they went ahead on twenty three minutes- Soul Kader continuing his superb scoring form- only for the hosts to quickly level through Marcus Sablier. Six minutes before half time Jack Meeres put the Rooks ahead, and it was three-one with twenty one minutes left, Bobby Unwin with that one, but Kader quickly pulled it back to three-two- and Wands had nineteen minutes to find an equaliser. Sadly for the travelling faithful, when the next goal arrived it came at the other end, Christo Nano making it four-two. Josh Williams added a third for Wands one minute from time to set up a frantic finale, but the Rooks held on for victory. 

Wingate and Finchley welcomed Canvey Island. Neither side were in particularly good form, and neither side managed to score!

Hendon said goodbye to Step Three alongside Bognor Regis Town, two relegated sides meeting in a green on green battle. The hosts went ahead on thirteen minutes, Tope Fadahunsi with his sixth in nine matches, and doubled their lead through Stefan Ilic eight minutes before the break. Ten minutes into the second half Kofi Anokye-Boadi made it three, although Jasper Mather quickly got one back for the visitors. Anokye-Boadi then made it four-one, and four minutes from time Nathan Opoku added a fifth. Finally that was that, and at least the home fans have a positive memory to take into the summer break. 

Hastings United welcomed Potters Bar Town to Pilot Field. The relegated hosts had been in better form of late, with only two defeats from six, and they went ahead seven minutes before half time, Davide Rodari the scorer as usual- his twenty fourth of the campaign. The Scholars levelled in added time at the end of the first half, Brandon Adams with the equaliser, and went ahead just after the hour, Ikechi Eze making it two-one. Eze soon made it three-one, but Rodari gave his side hope by pulling another back seventeen minutes from time. That hope ended when Harry Thompson was dismissed for the hosts, and the match ended with no further goals, three points heading north with a Hastings double under their belts. 

Finally, bottom side Bowers and Pitsea had finally found some form, if sadly too late. They welcomed Whitehawk having taken seven points from their last three matches, whilst the travelling Hawks had lost four in a row- but it was the visitors who got their noses in front midway through the second half, Addison Garnett the scorer. That turned out to be the only goal of the game, and it sealed a Hawks double.