Isthmian League round-up | Wings return top as Enfield and Eastbourne slip up
It was a good weekend for Welling United, who reclaimed top spot in the Isthmian Premier with a 3-1 win at St Albans City.
Two goals from Kaan Bennett, plus a further effort from Fumnaya Shomotun, saw the Wings soar back to the division's summit after an impressive victory on their travels.
St Albans, who had taken maximum points from each of their previous three games at home, did draw level early in the second half through Zane Benton. However, Saturday's setback was enough to see them drop out of the play-off spots due to results elsewhere.
Enfield Town had started the weekend top of the table, but a surprise 2-0 home defeat to AFC Whyteleafe saw their six-game unbeaten run in the league come to an abrupt halt.
Goals in either half from Palace Francis and Toby Aromolaran ensured the visitors returned to South London with all three points.
Enfield were left to rue a golden opportunity to equalise at 1-0 down, after Slav Huk denied Sam Youngs from the penalty spot shortly before the hour.
Ennio Gonnella's men have now won five of their last six Isthmian League matches, rising to 13th in the table as a result.
Another of the division's frontrunners, Eastbourne Borough, also fell to a 4-1 defeat at Dartford over the weekend.
A scintillating first-half display saw the Darts score four without reply, with Dan Smith, Max Fiddes (2) and Ben Greenhalgh all on the scoresheet.
Liam Nash did grab a consolation for Eastbourne in the final quarter, but it wasn't enough to stop them from tasting defeat after three straight league wins on the road.
Elsewhere, fourth-placed Lewes had a weekend to remember after edging a five-goal thriller at Dulwich Hamlet.
The Rooks came from a goal down at half-time to get the job done, with Kurtis Cumberbatch, Josh Spinks and Bobby Unwin all scoring for the visitors in front of more than 3,000 supporters at Champion Hill.
After going six league games unbeaten at home, the Hamlet have now lost back-to-back games on their own patch.
Four players were on the scoresheet for Ramsgate as they thrashed Aveley at Southwood Stadium.
Among the scorers was Billy Munday, who netted his eight goal of the campaign so far.
Carshalton Athletic, like Ramsgate, scored four times at home to take maximum points against Cheshunt.
The Robins led by two at the break, before the teams exchanged goals early in the second half.
Substitute Obi Onyeagwara scored 14 minutes from time for Cheshunt to set up a grandstand finish, but one of Carshalton's players introduced from the bench, Jacob Safa, sealed the win deep into second-half stoppage time.
Saturday's win ended a run of four straight home defeats, helping move Steven Bates' men back into the top seven.
In the weekend's other action Chatham Town and Burgess Hill Town played out a 1-1 draw, while Maldon & Tiptree secured back-to-back league wins on the road, by coming from a goal down to beat Wingate & Finchley 3-1.
The Blues do still end the weekend in the top half, despite their four-match unbeaten league run at home coming to an end.
The two matches involving all four sides that came into the weekend in the relegation zone both finished level.
Brentwood Town climbed out of the drop zone after coming from behind to earn a 1-1 draw at Three Bridges, while the clash between Stanway Rovers and Whitehawk was a goalless affair.
Results - Saturday 7 November
- Carshalton Athletic 4-2 Cheshunt
- Chatham Town 1-1 Burgess Hill Town
- Dartford 4-1 Eastbourne Borough
- Dulwich Hamlet 2-3 Lewes
- Enfield Town 0-2 AFC Whyteleafe
- Ramsgate 4-0 Aveley
- St Albans City 1-3 Welling United
- Stanway Rovers 0-0 Whitehawk
- Three Bridges 1-1 Brentwood Town
- Wingate & Finchley 1-3 Maldon & Tiptree
Check out the latest fixtures and results from across the Isthmian North, Isthmian South Central and Isthmian South East.