Cannons crash the play offs!

We had an intriguing last day of the season in the battle for the play off places- and, at the other end, the battle to avoid the play off places. Fourth place Beckenham Town needed just one point to confirm a top four finish, and they got one- a goalless draw at Burgess Hill Town sealing their play off place. It also turned out to be enough for the Hillians, too- they stayed out of the bottom four after VCD Athletic failed to pick up the required three points.

Cray Valley PM and Sheppey United, knew that a draw could let in Hythe Town and see them both miss out- and that’s exactly how it panned out, a last-gasp Eddie Allsopp goal for the Ites not enough for them to take fifth spot but enough to force the Millers out of it. The last ten minutes delivered enough drama for an entire season. Warren Mfula put the Ites ahead on thirty six minutes, but Cray levelled with six minutes to go through Dan Bennett and looked to have won it when Ade Adeyemo scored right at the end. But no, there was time for that Allsopp equaliser, and the Millers dropped to sixth, their visitors to seventh.

Hythe Town knew that they had to defeat Haywards Heath Town at Reachfields to have any chance of a top five place- but Heath also needed to win to have any chance of avoiding a relegation play off. Hythe had won their previous six matches, and easily made it seven- crushing their visitors by four goals to nil. Johan Caney-Bryan opened the scoring just before the half hour, and the lead was extended by Jack Stevenson just after the start of the second half and Liam Smith just before the hour. A red card for George Brown didn’t help Heath’s cause, and Frannie Collin made sure with a fourth from the spot six minutes from time.

Champions Chatham Town were on the road to Littlehampton Town, and eased to victory, four-one. Goals from Ashley Nuala, Dan Bradshaw, Paris Lock and Che Krabbendam saw them end the campaign in style. Dion Jarvis got the goals consolation.

Ramsgate clinched second place- and a Semi-Final tie against Hythe- with a win at Ashford United. Rowan Liburd gave the Rams the lead on twenty three minutes, only for Gary Lockyer to level ten minutes later. Ashley Miller got the winner on sixty five minutes.

Whitehawk will welcome Beckenham Town after a one-one draw with relegated Corinthian. Charlie Lambert scored for the Hawks, Josh James levelled for the Hoops just before the hour.

VCD Athletic travelled to Sussex to take on East Grinstead Town. Vickers knew they had to win to have any chance of climbing out of the bottom four, but they were two down by the half hour mark, Tariq Straker and Ben Aubrey scoring for the Wasps. Tolu Jonah pulled a goal back for Vickers just before the break, Muraino Banjoko levelled just after the hour, but the visitors enter the last chance saloon of the relegation play offs.

Lancing were still mathematically involved in the relegation play off battle at kick off, but they ended Sittingbourne’s twelve match unbeaten run at Culver Road and ensured their safety. Reece Hallard put them ahead after just two minutes, and it was two-nil ten minutes after half time, Darius Goldsmith with that one. Chaynie Burgin replied for the Brickies with nine minutes left, but Hallard made sure with a third right at the end.

Sevenoaks Town welcomed Chichester City and the two played out an exciting three-three draw. Oaks went ahead through Solomon Baugh on twenty seven minutes, but the visitors levelled just before the break, Emmett Dunn with the equaliser. Freddie Parker quickly restored Oaks advantage, and then extended it, but goals from Connor Cody and Alex Weinberger in the last quarter of an hour earned the visitors a point.

Finally, relegated Faversham Town played host to the side with the worst away record in the Division, Three Bridges- and defeated them four-nil. Shola Ayoola (2), Oliver Gray and Matt Parsons got the goals.

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