Relegation confirmed for Hendon, Hastings and Bognor

The penultimate Saturday of the season will be memorable for all the wrong reasons for Hendon, Hastings United and Bognor Regis Town, as it was the day when their relegation was confirmed.

For Hendon to live to fight another day they needed to defeat Chatham Town and for Dulwich Hamlet to struggle against Canvey Island, and for some of the afternoon at least, that looked possible. Hendon went ahead on nineteen minutes courtesy of an own goal, and it was a lead they held until ten minutes into the second half when Jack Evans levelled for the Chats. The visitors weren’t done, and they took the lead seventeen minutes later, Harry Webster making it two-one, only for the hosts to level seven minutes from time, Stefan Ilic with that one. Hendon then gave their fans reason to hope by scoring what looked like a winner with only four minutes remaining, Tope Fadahunsi scoring his fifth goal in seven matches, but again they couldn’t keep the visitors out, and one minute from time Reece Butler made it three-three. News of Hamlet’s last minute winner confirmed their relegation with two matches remaining. Chatham are ninth. 

Fifth bottom Dulwich Hamlet started the day with a five point lead over Hendon with three matches remaining, but were in terrible form- with one win from nine and having lost their previous five. Hamlet had a tricky match against the side one place and three points ahead of them, Canvey Island, and it certainly looked tricky when Bradley Sach gave the visiting Gulls an eleventh minute lead, but the home fans had something to celebrate when Amaru Kaunda levelled with twenty one minutes remaining. Even then, however, Hamlet made their lives difficult, Arj Krasniqi seeing red eleven minutes from time, but in the very last minute the ten men got a winner from an expected source, Luke Wanadio scoring his twentieth goal of the season and ensuring that his side would have another Pitching In Isthmian Premier campaign to look forward to next season. 

Hamlet have now won the last four meetings between the sides. 

Third bottom Hastings United needed a miracle, but sadly for the fans at Pilot Field nothing miraculous was to happen. One thousand, one hundred and thirty five turned out to watch, but they didn’t see a goal, as the match ended nil-nil. Ten points from safety with two games left, United will be back in our South East Division next season, whilst the Tags are eighth. 

Bognor Regis Town also needed divine help as they travelled to Wingate and Finchley, but it seemed that if there was any divine presence it favoured the hosts, who hit the Rocks for four. Camilo Restrepo opened the scoring for the Blues on seven minutes, and just before the break Cain Keller made it two. Bognor’s main man Tommy-Lee Higgs got a goal back from the spot just after the hour- his twenty fourth of the season- but in added time at the end of the match Alex Osei and Ore Bello added two more to make it four-one and confirm Bognor’s Premier demise. Wingate are eleventh. 

Finally, Bowers and Pitsea recorded their first win in months by defeating Folkestone Invicta last weekend, and the already relegated side picked up another three points by defeating Potters Bar Town at the Len Salmon. George Scales got the opener midway through the first half, and three minutes before the break Renei Batlokwa added another. That was that, two-nil the final score- and at least the home faithful have been given something to smile about after a torrid campaign.