One hundred up for the Rams- and Herne Bay get nine

Leaders Ramsgate were looking for a fifth win in a row as they welcomed Broadbridge Heath- and to at the very least maintain their seven point advantage at the top. The travelling Bears lost five-one against the Rams in mid February, and Ramsgate also knocked them out of the FA Cup in September, so the visitors were hoping to get some revenge but went behind on twenty minutes, Roarie Deacon putting the hosts ahead. That turned out to be that- and not only does the seven point lead remain, that takes the Rams to an incredible one hundred and two points!

Second place Sittingbourne were looking for a fourth win in a row as they welcome Erith Town. The Brickies were seven points away from the summit at kick off and hadn’t given up on their title hopes, and they went ahead after only eight minutes, Mitchell May with his twenty fifth of the season. May had another seven minutes into the second half, this one from the spot, and the outcome was removed from doubt when Henry Sinai made it three. That was that- but the gap remains seven points. 

Burgess Hill Town, who hit four first half goals against East Grinstead in midweek, have secured a play off place and were now focused on securing third place. The Hillians headed up the A23 to Croydon Athletic looking for a fourth win in a row- and looking for a third win of the season against the Rams, who they defeated in the FA Cup and again in the league in February. The Rams revenge looked on when Ibby Akanbi made it one and then two-nil on thirteen and seventeen minutes, and it was surely confirmed when Nya Kirby made it three just before the hour. The scoring ended there, but Hill remain six points clear of fourth place Margate. 

Margate travelled to take on one of our form sides, Sevenoaks Town- winners of the Manager of the Month award for March. Oaks were eight unbeaten, and had won five in a row prior to their draw with Ashford United at the weekend; whilst Gate were looking for a fourth consecutive victory- and to get revenge for a two-one defeat at Hartsdown Park in January. The first half brought lots of entertainment. Oaks went ahead on ten minutes, Dan Duncanson the scorer, only for Ben Greenhalgh to quickly level- and Gate then went ahead, Ibrahim Olutade with the goal. On thirty two minutes James Bessey-Saldanha made it two-two, but Gate were ahead once ore six minutes into the second half, Harvey Brand the scorer. Once more Oaks hit back, Kevin Diomande making it three-three, and the scoring ended there. 

Fifth place Merstham were five points clear of Beckenham Town with a game in hand as they headed to Hythe Town, the Cannons very much needing victory to have any chance at all of staying up. It was quickly advantage Moatsiders, Korrey Henry taking his tally to seventeen- twelve of which have come in his last fourteen matches- after only six minutes, and it was two-nil midway through the half, Matt Drage giving the visitors a cushion. It was less comfortable when Javaun Splatt got a goal back during first half added time, but Drage quickly added a third to give Merstham some breathing space once more. Henry made it four-one fifteen minutes from time, and although Hythe got a goal back to reduce the deficit to two right at the end- Kieron Agbebi with it- the result was already without doubt, and got worse when Aaron Jenkins added a fifth in added time. Merstham remain five points clear of Beckenham Town in the race for fifth, whilst the Cannons relegation is confirmed. 

Beckenham Town travelled to play Phoenix Sports, their second meeting this week. Becks, five points away from the top five with a game in hand at kick off, defeated Sports with something of a flukey goal on Tuesday night, a result which left their opponents five points away from safety and in real trouble. The first half of this one- just like on Tuesday night- was goalless, but the visitors went ahead four minutes after the second half, the goal coming from the usual source, Louis Theophanous. That turned out to be the only goal of the game, and it kept Becks play off hopes alive whilst leaving Sports needing a miracle- eight points from safety with four matches remaining. 

Three Bridges, who picked up our Performance of the Month Award for March earlier this week, were six points away from the top five with five matches left. A second successive play off campaign looked difficult but not impossible, but it looked still more difficult when Kane Penn put the Nuts and Bolts ahead on twenty five minutes. Bridges went down to ten men just after the hour, Noel Leighton dismissed, but the ten men soon levelled, Hayden Velvick with the equaliser. That was how it ended; Bridges now eight points from the top five with four matches remaining.

Deal Town took their recent good form on the road, and knew that they could hammer the final nail into the Steyning Town coffin. The Sussex side were fifteen points from safety with five matches to go, and were looking to avoid an eighth consecutive defeat- and their chances didn’t look good after Tom Chapman and Ash Miller put Deal two up at the break. Deal had a third within four minutes of the start of the second half, Archie Hatcher the scorer, but the Barrowmen then roused themselves, and within seven minutes had two goals back, Alex Brewer and Ollie Rawlins giving the home fans reason to cheer. The next goal was crucial, and Steyning scored it, but sadly for the home fans, they scored it at the wrong end, four-two to Deal with nineteen minutes remaining. Alex Smith made it five-two four minutes from time, and Steyning are confirmed as relegated whilst that’s four wins in a row for their visitors. 

Sheppey United hoped to build upon last weekend’s win over Broadbridge Heath- their first in ten matches- as they welcomed East Grinstead Town. The Wasps had lost five of their last six and seemed to be ending the season with a whimper rather than a buzz- and they went behind in this one on the half hour, Dan Carr scoring for the Ites. Seventeen minutes from time Gil Carvalho made it two, and it was three-nil eight minutes from time, Olu Olurunnisumo making quite sure of three points. The Wasps got a consolation goal through Matt Daniel two minutes from time. 

We had a Sussex seaside derby as Eastbourne Town travelled to take on Littlehampton Town. The Golds were five points above the drop zone at kick off and more than keen to at least preserve that lead over Phoenix Sports, and they had taken seven points from their previous three matches so seemed to have rediscovered their form at just the right time. Littlehampton went ahead twelve minutes before half time, Josh Short the scorer, and they held onto what they had to open up an eight point advantage in the race for safety. With four games remaining, they are almost over the line. 

Herne Bay played host to Lancing. Bay started the afternoon nine points above the drop zone with a game in hand over those chasing them, but had seen a four match unbeaten run followed by defeat in their previous two. Their visitors, however, had lost twelve in a row- and they were behind again after just five minutes, Michael Salako putting the hosts ahead. Salako added a second on nineteen minutes, and the match was as good as won by half time after Emmanuel Oluwasemo added not only a third but a fourth, on twenty eight and thirty seven minutes. Nineteen minutes from time Salako clinched the match ball and made it five, and seven minutes later it was six-nil, Jordy Ndozid delivering more delight for the home faithful. It was seven-nil within a minute, Artem Kuchkov with that one, and Kuchkov added an eighth six minutes later, and still the goals continued, although the ninth went to the visitors, Lewis Lembikisa getting a consolation- although we suspect it was no consolation. Bay, however, weren’t finished, and in added time Theo Osinfolarin got a ninth.

The Lancers see relegation confirmed.