Blues, Rooks, Hornets and Wands march on in the Trophy- and Towners hit six

We had a battle of the Blues as Billericay Town welcomed Bury Town-but, in truth, it wasn’t so much a battle, more a massacre. Billericay took thirty five minutes to go ahead, Bradley Stevenson scoring for the tenth time this season- but by the time we reached the break the Blues had added three more, Ben Wells with number two, Ade Azeez with the third and Stevenson striking again, to leave shellshocked Bury wondering what had happened. The second half was quieter, but six minutes from time Moses Emmanuel made it five-nil.

Chatham Town took a break from title chasing to take on a collection of cup specialists, Cray Valley PM making the trip. The Chats had only one defeat from seven, but their visitors could boast a considerably better record, as the only side to defeat them so far this season had been Punjab United, who beat a significantly weakened Millers team in the Kent Cup- one defeat in eighteen matches. That was soon one defeat in nineteen, as the Millers slayed yet another giant- that’s three so far this season, look out Charlton Athletic! The Millers went ahead just after the hour, Denzel Gayle with the opener, and the points were sealed right at the end. First, Chats keeper Ben Bridle-Card saw red, and almost immediately Malachi Turner made it two-nil to the visitors.

Cray Wanderers knew that they would need to be at their best as Chesham United came to call, the visitors in third place in Pitching In Southern Premier South and having lost only one league match all season. Eight games unbeaten, that run included victories over Wands Premier rivals Enfield Town and Margate in Cup and Trophy, and a giant killing victory over Braintree Town in the Fourth Qualifying Round of the Cup- but the Wands were first equal and then better than their visitors. It looked to be easy for the hosts in the early stages, Ellis Brown on eighteen minutes and Gary Lockyer four minutes later making them comfortable at half time. Sadly for the hosts United then hit back, levelling with sixteen minutes left, but again it looked as if Wands would be victorious, Frankie Raymond making it three-two with only nine minutes remaining. Right at the end, however, United levelled once more- Rhys Murrell-Williamson, formerly of Cray Wanderers, scoring his second of the afternoon. So it was time for a shootout, and this time Wands delivered perfection, scoring all of their spot kicks to triumph five-three.

We had an all-Premier tie as Dulwich Hamlet welcomed Lewes. Hamlet had taken seven points from their last nine in the league, their best run of the season so far, but they were quickly undone by the Rooks. Bradley Pritchard put the visitors ahead after eleven minutes, Tommy Wood added another seven minutes before half time, and that was that. Two thousand, seven hundred and forty five watched on, and most of them departed miserable.

Haringey Borough are having a strange season, very good in Cup competitions, struggling badly in the League- but on this occasion their league malaise followed them into a knockout competition, Pitching In Isthmian North visitors Redbridge ensuring that the giant was slain. The Motormen went ahead just after the hour through Dean Hall, and made it two from the spot five minutes before the end, Solomon Oguwomuju converting. Borough then came alive, and Nadum Melvin-Lambert quickly got a goal back, but that was too little, too late.

Larkhall Athletic were the hosts for Horsham. Athletic, in twelfth place in Pitching In Southern Division One South, were in good form- but the Hornets had won six of their last seven in all competitions and made it seven in eight thanks to two goals from Jack Strange. Strange got the opener on seven minutes, and, a few minutes after the hosts went down to ten men, added a second twelve minutes from time. Athletic did get a goal back, but the Hornets march on.

Potters Bar Town went into their match against Leiston on the back of a ten match unbeaten run, and without a home defeat since August Bank Holiday Monday- but that came to an end. The only goal of the game arrived ten minutes after the break, and the visitors marched on- removing a second Pitching In Isthmian Premier side in a row from the competition.

We’ve all all-Premier tie on Sunday, as Kingstonian welcome Whitehawk to Imperial Fields. The K’s have had a mixed campaign this season, and this will be their fourth home match in a row, two of which they’ve lost- their defeat against Horsham on Wednesday coming in added time after they led with thirteen minutes left. The Hawks, in contrast, have lost only once since the opening day- and that defeat came against National League South promotion chasers Worthing. The sides will meet again in early December.

Premier

The FA Trophy and postponements left us with only one match, but it had enough goals for an entire fixture list as Enfield Town defeated Hashtag United six-three.

The Towners went ahead just before the half hour, Reece Beckles-Richards with the opener, and they held that lead until just after the break, Greg Halford levelling from the spot. The first forty seven minutes didn’t really give us a clue about what was to come, the Towners suddenly going goal mad. Marcus Wyllie restore the lead within four minutes, Sam Youngs made it three-one just before the hour mark, and the same player added a fourth from the spot with fifteen minutes left. Another from Wyllie brought up number five with four minutes left, Youngs added a sixth, but there was still time right at the end for an own goal and a goal from Percy Kiangebeni to pull two back for the Tags and make the score a little more respectable- six-three the final outcome, the Towners up to third.

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