Millers hit Rooks for six!

Leaders Folkestone Invicta, fourteen points clear at the top, were keen to avoid complacency as they headed to South London to take on Dulwich Hamlet. The Stripes were looking for a fourth win in a row, and they finally went ahead twenty one minutes from time, Jake Hutchinson silencing the home faithful. In added time Ryan Kingsford delivered a second, and the gap at the top remained fourteen points. 

Second place Aveley headed to Sussex to take on Lewes. The Millers had seven wins from their previous eight and were full of confidence, but that might have taken a bit of a bump when the Rooks took the lead on sixteen minutes, Devonte West the scorer. As it turned out, perhaps Lewes shouldn’t have done that. 

Aveley weren’t behind for long, Ryan Charles levelling six minutes later, and on twenty seven minutes went ahead, George Saunders making it two-one. The second half was only three minutes old when Ollie Peters added a third for the visitors, and two minutes later Harry Haysom made it four. Another two minutes went by and Aveley added a fifth, Matt Johnson surely leaving the home fans watching from between their fingers. We suspect a fair number of those fans had left before Toby Aromolaran got a sixth in added time.

Aveley stay second. 

Brentwood Town seemed to have put some uncertain form behind them, winning their last two, but they faced a tricky trip. The Blues, in third place, headed to the Kent coast to take on a Ramsgate side who had taken thirteen points from the last fifteen available, a run which had lifted them to ninth place. 

The opening goal took until first half added time to arrive, and it went to the Rams, Alfie Paxman scoring from the spot- and immediately the second half kicked off Paxman did it again, making it two-nil. Right at the end Mitchell May made it three-nil- Ramsgate up to eighth, six points away from the top five. 

One thousand, two hundred and eighty one watched on. 

Chatham Town had hit something of a rough patch. Three defeats in a row had seen them drop to fourth, twenty two points behind the leaders, and they faced a difficult match at seventh place Cray Wanderers. The match looked to be heading towards a goalless draw when Nile Ranger decided otherwise, putting the Chats ahead twelve minutes from time. 

Wands had fourteen draws for the season prior to this one, and, of course, delivered an equaliser three minutes from time, Alex Hernandez scoring from the spot to make it fifteen. Chatham slip to fifth, Wands climb to sixth- and the sides have drawn twice this season. 

Billericay Town had climbed into the top five on the back of a fine run of results, and they welcomed Chichester City looking for a seventh win in succession. The Blues didn’t have the best of records against City, their three previous meetings bringing two wins for the Sussex side and one draw; and this one was finely poised at the break, goalless. It was still goalless with ten minutes to go, and then, it wasn’t- Frankie Merrifield putting the hosts ahead, and as it turned out, that was the winner. Eight wins in a row and up to fourth for Billericay. 

Image from Nicky Hayes.

Dartford had slipped out of the top five but had only one defeat from six- and a game in hand over the side directly above them. The Darts were on the road to Potters Bar Town, the Scholars propping up the rest after three wins- and seven defeats- from their previous ten; but it was the hosts who hit the ground running, Nana Kyei putting the hosts ahead on eleven minutes. That turned out to be the only goal- and it lifted Potters Bar to twentieth, five points from safety. 

Burgess Hill Town travelled to Whitehawk, eleventh versus eighth. The Hawks were six unbeaten, but they were quickly behind, Kaan Bennett opening the scoring after only seven minutes- but the hosts were soon level, Joel Daly delivering the equaliser, and they took the lead midway through the second half, Charlie Lambert scoring from the spot. Seventeen minutes from time Nathan Cooper added a third for the Hawks, who climb to tenth. 

St Albans City, in tenth as we kicked off, made the trip to second bottom Welling United. Wings were six points from safety and had lost three in a row, and they slipped to the bottom after neither side managed to score. City drop to eleventh. 

We’d an important match in North London as Wingate and Finchley, outside the bottom four only on goal difference, welcomed a Cheshunt side who were five points better off. The Blues had been without a win since November 15th, eleven matches- and were quickly behind in this one, Connor Kurran-Browne taking only four minutes to open the scoring. Nahum Melvin-Lambert made it two after a quarter of an hour, but the Blues then roused themselves, and were soon level- Billy Cracknell and Gianluca Botti scoring on nineteen and twenty two minutes. The Ambers regained the lead four minutes before half time, Dequane Wilson-Braithwaite with the fifth goal of the afternoon, and, as it turned out, it was also the last goal of the afternoon. Cheshunt are fifteenth, Wingate drop into the drop zone. 

Hashtag United and Carshalton Athletic met at Parkside, both sides tied on twenty nine points at kick off, two points clear of the drop zone. The Tags had lost three in a row, and indeed four of their previous five; whilst the Robins had gone more than three months without a win, their last victory coming against Lewes on November 11th- a winless run of twelve matches. 

The visitors made a breakthrough three minutes before half time, Luke Read the scorer, but it was a lead they couldn’t take into the break as Evans Kouassi quickly levelled from the spot. Kouassi then gave his side the lead with only thirteen minutes to go, and in added time the home fans were delivered further delight, new arrival Chaynie Burgin making it three-one and guaranteeing three points. The Tags climb above their visitors, and increased the margin between themselves and the relegation spaces to five points. 

We had twentieth versus nineteenth as Canvey Island hosted Cray Valley PM, new Millers boss Kevin Lisbie overseeing his first match. He won’t have enjoyed the opening stages, as Canvey were ahead on four minutes, Ben Steward the scorer, and then added a second courtesy of new arrival Zac Hambury. The visitors halved the arrears on twenty one minutes, Makise Evans giving the travelling fans hope, and that hope was realised when Fumnaya Shomotun levelled just before the half hour. The scoring stopped there, and it was enough to lift the visitors out of the drop zone -whilst Canvey are six points from safety.