Stripes go fourteen clear with a first-half demolition

Leaders Folkestone Invicta were four without a win as they welcomed Wingate and Finchley to the seaside, but they still had a thirteen point lead at the summit- and the knowledge that their visitors, only a point above the drop zone, had a much longer winless run- nine matches. It took the hosts only seconds to go ahead, Donell Thomas scoring in the very first minute. On six minutes Jake Hutchinson added another, his seventeenth of the season, and the game looked as good as won by the nineteenth minute after Adam Lovatt added a third. Only five minutes later the hosts had a fourth, Montel McKenzie with it, and it looked like we could be heading towards a massacre- but the scoring stopped there. Four-nil, and fourteen clear for the Stripes. 

Second place Chatham Town, with five wins from six, started the day thirteen points behind the leaders albeit with three games in hand. The Chats were at home- and selling FA Trophy tickets for their forthcoming tie against Southend United by the boxful- as Billericay Town came to call, the Blues hoping to reduce the gap between themselves and the top five. The match appeared to be heading towards a goalless draw, and then, late on, the Chats got a penalty- only for the Blues keeper Jacob Adams to make a save! Deep in added time, at the other end, another penalty- and this time Alfie Cerulli put it away- but four minutes after that, yet another penalty, this one to the Chats! Surely this time? No! Over the bar it goes, and it wasn’t the Chats day. Billericay took the points, and the Chats slipped to third. 

Brentwood Town were hoping to get back to winning ways after two defeats, our third place side welcoming Dulwich Hamlet- but the opening goal went to the South Londoners, David Smith with it ten minutes into the second half. The next goal was rather crucial, and it also went to the visitors- and to Smith- nineteen minutes from time, a result which sees Dulwich end the day in tenth and Brentwood slip to fourth. 

Fourth place Aveley were the hosts for Cray Valley PM. It may have been Millers versus Millers, but the hosts, in fabulous form, were very much the favourites; particularly so given the visitors had lost five in a row and slipped into the bottom four as a consequence. Perhaps, then, it wasn’t a surprise when the hosts were ahead after two minutes, Jesse Nwabueze with the opener, and only three minutes later it was two-nil, Toby Aromolaran with his third goal for the club- and his third goal of the month. The third goal of the afternoon took much longer to arrive, but it went to the hosts, seven minutes from time, Ollie Muldoon making quite sure of the points. Aveley climb to second- fourteen points behind the leaders with two games in hand. 

Fifth place Dartford made the trip to take on Burgess Hill Town, their hosts with only one win in five- but it was the Hillians faithful who were celebrating on twenty minutes, George Vorster putting away a spot kick. The Darts drew level in added time at the end of the first half, Denzelle Olopade with the equaliser, his first of the season. Seven minutes into the second half it was the home fans who were singing once more, Vorster putting them ahead once more, but the hosts then went down to ten men after Ben Pope picked up a second yellow. Despite that setback, they held on for victory- and are four points behind their now fifth place visitors. 

Cray Wanderers hoped that they could climb into the top five with victory over Carshalton Athletic, whilst the travelling Robins were looking nervously in the opposite direction, without a win since mid November. It was Athletic, however, who made the breakthrough on twenty minutes through Ben Mundele, but they weren’t ahead for long, Harry Bridle with the equaliser seven minutes later. Wands have been our draw Kings this season, and, perhaps unsurprisingly, they delivered another- their thirteenth of the season, to stay sixth. The Robins are two points clear of the drop zone. 

Congrats to Steve Hodson, (pictured below) who stepped down from his role as Wands merchandise supremo after a quarter of a century of loyal service. 

Lewes were the hosts for St Albans City, the Rooks with two defeats from their previous three, the Saints with four wins from five. Danny Bassett got his first of the season to put the hosts ahead on thirty eight minutes, his goal coming from the spot, and that turned out to be the vital moment of the match. The Rooks are eleventh- seven points away from the top five. 

Chichester City were on the road to Cheshunt. The Ambers ended a six match winless streak with victory in Dulwich last time out, whilst City had only one defeat from seven- and on this occasion neither side could find the net, nil-nil the final score. 

Ramsgate travelled to bottom side Potters Bar Town, and they went ahead ten minutes before the break, Kweku Lucan continuing his fine start to his Rams career by scoring in his third match in a row- and he has only played three! Billy Munday added a second for the visitors at the start of the second half, and the same player quickly delivered number three- before the hosts went down to ten men, substitute Femi Akinwande dismissed only twenty minutes after he arrived. Greg Cundle added a fourth for the visitors eight minutes from time, and they are up to ninth- their hosts ten points from safety. 

Whitehawk welcomed Canvey Island to their particular seaside for an early kick off due to floodlight issues. The Gulls very much needed the points, and they went ahead after only twelve minutes courtesy of Abdi Mohamud, but the Hawks earned a point nineteen minutes from time, Harry Lodovica delivering the equaliser, his third goal in ten appearances. The Hawks are fourteenth, the Gulls nine points from safety. 

Welling United, five points from safety, were the hosts for Hashtag United, the Tags one of the sides they were looking to catch. After a goalless first half the visitors opened the scoring on forty seven minutes, Thomas Anderson- on from the bench just before half time- with his first of the season; and only four minutes later the Tags had another, Praise Ogbebor doubling the lead. That, as it turned out, was that- Tags up to sixteenth, Welling now six points away from salvation.