Chats hit six on a bad day for the Blues

After leaders Hornchurch saw their match postponed, attention at the top turned to second place Chatham Town’s match against third place Billericay Town- a chance for the Chats to narrow the gap on the urchins to six points and to extend their lead over the Blues to ten points, whilst another Billericay defeat would have put them in with a chance of dropping to fourth should Wingate and Finchley win. Billericay defeated the Chats two-nil in November, but more recently departed the Velocity Cup at the hands of these opponents so perhaps revenge was on their minds- and they went ahead after just five minutes, Adam Leathers with the opener. The hosts were quickly level, Jack Evans scoring the equaliser with a fine free kick, and on twenty five minutes they went ahead, Kareem Isiaka continuing his run of a goal every two games. Isiaka then did it again, making it three-one just three minutes later, and ten minutes before half time the match looked to be as good as over as Rowan Liburd made it four-one.

The Blues decided they weren’t going to give up, and Frankie Merrifield quickly pulled a goal back to make it four-two at the break, but we’d played only three minutes of the second half before the hosts reestablished their three goal advantage, Isiaka claiming the match ball with his third of the afternoon. Chatham made it six-two on sixty four minutes, Jamie Yila scoring from the spot, and although Sydney Ibie got a goal back two minutes from time on his Blues debut it was far too little, far too late.

That’s four defeats in a row- and five from six- for Billericay, whilst the Chats are now ten points clear of the Blues- although six points behind the leaders, who have played three games fewer.

Image- we suspect- from Max English.

Enfield Town, in fifth, welcomed local rivals- and the side one place above them- Wingate & Finchley, and it was the visiting Blues who quickly got their noses in front, Anointed Chukwu opening the scoring from the spot after just seven minutes- his fourteenth of the season. It was two-nil just before the break, Zack Newton doubling the advantage, but the hosts quickly hit back to give their fans hope, Marcus Wyllie taking just two minutes of the second half to get his side back into the match with his twenty third of the season. The recovery was complete with seventeen minutes remaining, Sam Youngs with the Towners equaliser, and that was that- the sides remain unmoved in the table.

Horsham had their eyes firmly on a top five spot, but visiting Lewes, who had lost four of their previous five, weren’t willing to help the Hornets achieve that, and went ahead on nineteen minutes, Ayo Olukoga with the opener. The hosts were quickly level, Daniel Ajakaiye with the equaliser, but the visitors Chris Whelpdale, a class act for much of the campaign, soon restored their lead with his tenth of the season. Two minutes from time the Rooks victory was confirmed, Archie Tamplin making it three-one, and the visitors climbed to tenth. It’s not a disaster for the hosts, however, who are two points way from fifth place with three games in hand.

Bognor Regis Town welcomed Potters Bar Town to the seaside after their carpet finally passed a collection of pitch inspections, and it was the travelling Scholars who struck first, Brandon Adams- who has been in superb form this season- scoring his eleventh in eighteen matches midway through the first half. The Rocks were hit again when Adams made it two-nil nine minutes into the second half, this one a penalty, but within three minutes there was another penalty, at the other end, Tommy-Lee Higgs getting a goal back for the hosts. Yet another spot kick saw the hosts level with fifteen minutes to go, Higgs doing it again, and finally the spot kick epidemic had come to an end, as did the match.

Dulwich Hamlet welcomed Cheshunt to Champion Hill for a side important to the hosts promotion aspirations and crucial for the Ambers as they tried to climb out of the bottom four. The opening goal arrived just before the half hour, Danny Mills making the pink and blue masses mildly joyous, and they were happier still as they queued for their half time libations- as not only had Jerome Binnom-Williams just made it two-nil in the early stages of stoppage time, but there had somehow been enough time left for Sean Bonnett-Johnson to add a third! Seven minutes into the second half the visitors got a goal back, Antonis Vasiliou giving the travelling fans something to cheer, but they weren’t cheering when Mills made it four-one with twenty minutes left. Eleven minutes from time the visitors added a second, Nnamdi Nwachuku bringing it back to four-two, but that’s where the scoring finally stopped. Hamlet have closed to within three points of the top five, whilst Cheshunt remain fourth from bottom.

Canvey Island welcomed Carshalton Athletic. The visiting Robins had lost only one of their previous ten but were seeing their play off hopes somewhat hampered by a tendency to draw, whilst the Gulls were in need of a victory after losing four of their previous five. We got a goalless first half, and our chances of an Athletic goal were diminished when Bradley Williams saw red with twenty five minutes to go. Could the hosts take advantage? No- although they did have a goal disallowed as the match ebbed to a close. Nil-nil was the final score.

Cray Wanderers have been in fine form at home, whilst Kingstonian- who picked up three points and gave their survival hopes a boost last weekend- started the day eight points from safety and really needed another win to give them hope. A goalless first half was followed by a breakthrough, finally, on the hour- and it went to the hosts, Anthony Cook giving them the lead with a fine free kick- and that turned out to be the only goal of the game. Wands are up to thirteenth, the K’s eight points from safety.

Haringey Borough really needed to defeat Margate at Coles Park to keep their survival dreams alive- whilst the visitors needed the points as they tried to put daylight between themselves and the bottom four. After a goalless first half the hosts went ahead on sixty four minutes, Jorge Djassi-Sambu with the opener, and they held onto that lead to deliver their first league victory in nine matches. Borough are four points from safety, Gate are the side they are currently chasing four points further up- and two points clear of the bottom four.

Hashtag United played host to Whitehawk, the Tags with only one win from ten, the Hawks three unbeaten. It was the hosts who made the breakthrough, Luka May-Parrott moving into double figures for the season on twelve minutes, but the Hawks levelled with twenty four minutes left, a lucky thirteenth of the season for Charlie Lambert.

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