Cannons slay a giant- and Rams score NINE

FA Trophy

Cray Valley PM had played twenty matches in League, Cup and FA Trophy prior to the visit of Hampton & Richmond Borough, and the only side to defeat them had been Charlton Athletic- but the National League South side doubled the number of defeats with a comfortable win at the Artic Stadium. The Beavers went ahead on twenty five minutes, doubled their tally on thirty four and put the match out of sight with a third just before the hour, and then added a fourth and a fifth with the Millers unable to live with them. Kyrell Lisbie got one back for the hosts, but that was that, and Cray Valley can concentrate on their promotion dreams from now on. The visitors are now nine unbeaten- including eight wins.

Hythe Town had a Kentish derby, welcoming National League South promotion chasers Tonbridge Angels to Reachfields. The Cannons had lost only once on their own patch this season, and a goalless first half must have increased their confidence. A goalless second half followed, and off we went to spot kicks, the Cannons recording a famous victory and slaying those giants by winning the shootout three-one.

Pitching In Isthmian South East

New leaders Ramsgate took an eight match winning streak into their match with Phoenix Sports, and by half time were almost assured of making that nine. Joe Taylor opened the scoring on twenty one minutes, and over the next half an hour he and Benny Bioletti traded goals, Taylor adding a third to his first and Bioletti getting the second and the fourth. It was five-nil on sixty nine minutes, Medy Elito with that one, and then Sports did something that nobody had done in the league against the Rams for five hundred and eighty minutes- they scored, Daniel Thompson bringing it back to five-one. That just annoyed the hosts, and Taylor completed his hat trick two minutes later to make it six-one, taking his total for the season up to twenty two. It was seven-one ten minutes from time, Taylor the tormentor once more, and it was to get worse for Sports, Craig Stone and Alfie Paxman adding an eighth and a NINTH!

Three Bridges led the pack from mid August until midweek, and hoped to return to the top- but they looked to have a difficult task as they travelled to fourth place Sittingbourne, and that’s how it turned out, the Brickies teaching them a lesson. The first half was even, Joe Tyrie giving the hosts the lead on fifteen minutes and Bridges levelling seven minutes before half time through Ibrahim Jalloh, but the second half saw Sittingbourne disappear over the horizon, Jean-Baptiste Fischer scoring two and Chris Harris adding the fourth. The Brickies are up to third.

Third placed Sevenoaks Town, under new management, played host to Merstham. Oaks had seen their previous four matches finish one-nil, winning two and losing the other two, but we soon knew this one would be different. Rowan Libra put the hosts ahead on twenty one minutes only for Korrey Henry to quickly level, but Oaks were ahead again just before the break, Fumnaya Shomotun making it two-one. Merstham have been in decent form of late, particularly Lorenzo Lewis, and he popped up right at the end to earn them a draw with his seventh goal in six matches.

Sevenoaks are fifth, Merstham fourteenth.

Herne Bay hoped to climb back into the top five- indeed they could have climbed as high as third if results had gone their way- as Littlehampton Town travelled from one seaside to another. Bay went ahead on thirteen minutes, Harrison Point with the opener, but the Golds levelled nine minutes later, Nodirbek Bobomurodov playing havoc with our autocorrect. Bay were once more in the lead by the break, Theo Osinfolarin making it two-one, and gave themselves a cushion when Mo Kamara made it three-one eleven minutes from time. There was time for a fourth, Frankie Smith deep into added time, and Bay go fourth.

Ashford United put up the ‘For Sale’ signs this week, and were hoping for the three points which might send them into the top five as Sheppey United came to call. The Ites started at top speed, however, and went ahead on four minutes through Alex Willis, going two up nine minutes later through James Bessey-Saldanha- but that awoke the Nuts and Bolts and they quickly hit back, Ian Draycott and Harvey Brand making it two-two at half time. There was a winner, and it arrived right at the end, Noah Carney delighting the home fans and completing a famous comeback. The Nuts and Bolts are up to sixth.

Erith and Belvedere welcome Chichester City TODAY.

Follow the Pitching In Isthmian League on Instagram. Head here or search for theisthmianleague on your app. We're also on Facebook and Twitter.