Champions set league record

By Peter Butcher

ALREADY champions of Ryman North, Grays set what is believed to be a new league record by coming from behind to win 2-1 at Thamesmead yesterday (Saturday) to chalk up their 17th successive league victory.

Thamesmead, in second place, took a fifth-minute lead through Baff Addae and stayed in front until the interval thanks to Rob Budd’s penalty save from Jack West.

Jared Small equalised ten minutes after the restart and Joao Carlos netted the record-breaking goal with just two minutes left, taking Grays to 99 points with two matches to go. There was still time for Mead skipper Lewis Tozer to get his marching orders.

A James Robinson hat-trick enabled Maldon to reclaim second place and complete an unbeaten season on their own ground, though not until they had twice trailed Tilbury by two goals.

Emiel Aiken put Dockers ahead after six minutes and Danny Francis made it 2-0 midway through the half. Robinson pulled one back soon after the interval but Sam Cutler restored the two-goal margin in the 65th minute.

Robinson then struck twice in as many minutes to make it 3-3, and Maldon finished their home programme with 16 wins and five draws, the only team in the league to remain undefeated in front of their own fans.

When Aveley won 2-0 at Witham in early March it left the losers nine points adrift of the play-off places and they had played more games than the sides above them.

Since then Witham have reeled off eight successive wins and seen their rivals falter. So their 1-0 home win over Needham Market, earned by Rob Whitnell’s early goal, his 23rd in the league, not only lifted them into a play-off slot for the first time but took them up to fourth place.

Aveley slipped back to fifth after going down 3-2 at home to a Potters Bar side including four youth-team players, two of them making their debuts.

Millers looked set to make the most of the situation when Alex Read scored after four minutes. But Josh Hutchinson quickly equalised with a lob and Aryan Tajbakhsh burst through from his own half to put the Scholars ahead after half an hour.

One of the youngsters, 17-year-old Liam Magwood, cut in from the left to make it 3-1 after 72 minutes (celebrations pictured by Mikey Cartwright) and a late own goal by Lee Close was not enough to deny the visitors.

Aveley are two points behind Witham with a game in hand. Heybridge are a point further back and, like Witham, have only two to play after their 1-0 defeat at Chatham cost them the top-five place they have held since October. Austin Gacheru got the only goal 20 minutes after half-time and Tim Roberts was outstanding in the home goal as Swifts sought their 100th goal of the season in vain.

Soham maintained their outside chance - they are two points behind Aveley and have only one match left – with a 2-0 victory at Sudbury. It was their 14th away league win, more than anyone else in all three divisions apart from Grays, who have 16.

The damage was soon done: Robbie Mason took his league tally to 26 by heading the 12th-minute opener and Michael Simpson added the second two minutes later.

Redbridge gave their survival hopes a huge boost by smashing four unanswered goals at Waltham Abbey. Jason Dobbs and Danny Hayes scored in the first ten minutes to give them a confidence-boosting start, and Nana Asamoah made it 3-0 in the 64th minute. D’Sean Theobalds completed the rout in added time. It was the first goal of the season for all four marksmen.

The Motormen thought they were home and dry when they heard that Shamir Mullings had given Harlow the lead at bottom club Ilford soon after half-time. It was his fourth goal of the season, each one scored for a different club. He had previously netted for Thurrock, Witham and Tilbury.

But the Foxes maintained a slim hope of avoiding the drop with an equaliser from substitute Chinedu McKenzie and a 75th-minute winner from Steve O’Hara.

The 2-1 victory, only their second home success of the season, keeps Ilford three points behind Redbridge, but they have only one game left and are 10 behind their rivals in the goal difference column. The Motormen have two to play.

Ten-man Waltham Forest grabbed a point with a late header from Matt Waldron which earned a 2-2 draw at Romford. Aime Blessing and Nick Reynolds put the hosts 2-0 up at the interval, George Lutaaya reduced the arrears and, despite the dismissal of Manny Sackey, Waldron completed the comeback.

Ware scored twice in a minute soon after half-time as they came from behind to beat visiting Brentwood 2-1. Ryan Doyle put Blues ahead with a 38th-minute penalty but Liam Foster and Vedat Ezel turned it round.

The other game was a goalless draw at Cheshunt, where Wroxham had the upper hand but needed a goalline clearance by Andrew Eastaugh to deny Courtney White a winner for the hosts.

Where next?

Whitehawk are one point away TWO goals in seven minutes by Sam Gargan took Whitehawk to the brink of becoming Ryman Premier champions with a 2-0 victory at Leiston today (Sunday).
Gills capture Women's Cup GILLINGHAM are the new holders of the Isthmian Women’s Cup after a 2-0 away victory over Woking side Westfield in the final tonight (Thursday).

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