More wins for our leaders- whilst Ware hit six, and Magpies, Robins and Cannons get five

By Ian Townsend

It’s our round up- which includes a managerial departure

At the start of the season Dorking Wanderers and Kingstonian were tipped to fight it out for the promotion spot, but yesterday the gulf between the two clubs was laid bare for all to see at Meadowbank, as seven hundred and thirteen watched Marc White’s side wallop Leigh Dynan’s K’s by seven goals to one. It was only two-nil at half time, Sami El-Abd and Lewis Taylor finding the net- but after the break the floodgates opened, Tom Richards getting two, Jason Prior, James McShane and Tom Tolfrey making it seven before the end. Dean Inman pulled one back to give the travelling faithful something to shout about, but the result was too much for the K’s board, with manager Leigh Dynan leaving the club last night.

There was another seven for Wanderers- it was their seventh consecutive victory- but perhaps the most important number was six, which is the number of points between them and second place Haringey Borough. Borough travelled to Carshalton Athletic yesterday and fell to defeat, two goals for Ricky Korboa and one from Harry Ottoway more than enough to give the Robins victory, despite Coby Rowe pulling one back for Tom Loizou’s side.

Bognor Regis Town climbed up to third place, a first half penalty from newly returned Bristol Rovers loanee Tommy Widdrington followed by a second half strike from Richard Gilot giving them victory over AFC Hornchurch at Nyewood Lane, whilst Folkestone Invicta made it four wins from six with victory at Harlow Town. Invicta were two up inside the first quarter of an hour, Matt Newman and an own goal doing the damage, and it was three only seven minutes later, Alfie Paxman turning in a cross from Kieron McCann. Matt Foy got one back for the Hawks before the break, and managed a second goal in the second half- his third brace in four matches- but by the time he got his and Harlow’s second Invicta had four, Adam Yusuff scoring it.

Ware fans celebrate victory

Ware fans celebrate victory

Invicta are fourth, climbing above Merstham on goal difference after the Moatsiders were held in an entertaining game at twelfth place Brightlingsea Regent. Fabio Saraiva gave the visitors the lead- perhaps against the run of play- with a wonderful goal just before the break, but Regent got the reward their efforts deserved when Jake Turner equalised sixteen minutes into the second half.

Enfield Town are sixth, one point from the playoff places, after a 3-1 win over Burgess Hill Town. Karl Oliyide gave the Towners the lead only for the Hillians- missing striker Ben Pope, who has moved to Lewes- to equalise almost immediately through Jared Rance. The second half, however, was the Billy Bricknell show, last season’s title winner firing a double to which Hill had no response. Hill remain second bottom and five four points behind nineteenth place Harlow Town.

We then had three one-one draws. The first came between Worthing and Potters Bar Town, Mackerel Men defender Jalen Jones continuing his scoring run with a last minute equaliser after Sean Bonnett-Johnson had put the Scholars ahead eighty minutes earlier. That’s five in ten matches for Jones.

Next up was a Kentish derby between Tonbridge Angels and Margate, the visitors with Jay Saunders in the dugout for the first time. The new man saw his charges fall behind to a Joe Turner penalty in the twenty seventh minute, but bounce back after the break, Ben Swift grabbing the equaliser with seven minutes left on the clock. Angels are ninth, Gate seventeenth.

Dereham Town v Barking- Alan Palmer

Dereham Town v Barking- Alan Palmer

We had two of the bottom three clashing at Summers Lane, as Wingate and Finchley entertained Whitehawk. It was the Hawks who got their noses in front, Rhyle Ovenden giving them the lead six minutes after the break- and it looked as if they’d get a vital three points which would move them to within two points of their hosts- but in the dying moments Alieu Njie stepped up with an equaliser.

Our final match saw Leatherhead make it five matches unbeaten- with four victories- and move up to tenth, only three points off a playoff spot. There was only one goal, and the Tanners got it, Ibrahim Olutade’s first half strike enough to defeat Bishop’s Stortford.

North Division

Bowers and Pitsea recorded their fifth straight victory and went six points clear at the top of the North Division- and it was comfortable in the end, Witham Town swept aside three-nil at the Len Salmon. David Knight got numbers one and two, either side of half time, whilst Quentin Monville got the third seventeen minutes from time.

Faversham fans celebrate their win

Faversham fans celebrate their win

Bowers were helped by the fact that two of their promotion rivals were clashing at Parkside, and it was the Jammers who came out on top, Maldon & Tiptree defeating hosts Aveley by three goals to one. The opening goal came just before the break, from Jorome Slew, and the same man made it two early in the second half, before an own goal made the match safe. Firmin Ngandu got a late penalty for the Millers, but it was too little, too late for James Webster’s men. Maldon climb to second, above Aveley on goal difference.

Heybridge Swifts are eight points behind Rob Small’s men, only picking up one point in a home draw with Mildenhall Town. When Matthew Price gave Swifts the lead with only fifteen minutes remaining you’d have expected that three points were on the cards, but an own goal gave Hall something to take back to Recreation Way- and gave them a two point cushion over bottom club Romford. The Boro, incidentally, were losing 3-1 at fifth place Coggeshall Town, for whom two Tyler’s- Corlett and Brampton- gave them a two goal advantage, before Tevan Allen made it three-nil with nine minutes to go. Nick Reynolds got Romford’s consolation just before full time.

Bury Town are four points off the playoff places and in good form, yesterday recording their fourth win in five with a thumping of Basildon United. A Ryan Jolland double, followed by an own goal and one from Kyran Clements made it four-nil- although Matt Brinklow and Rhys Fatt managed to reduce the arrears to 4-2 in the last couple of minutes. Bury are sixth, Basildon twelfth.

AFC Sudbury looked to have thrown away three points at home to Felixstowe and Walton United when they let the visitors equalise with three minutes to go- but a dramatic finish proved otherwise. We had six goals, all coming in the second half. Paul Hayes put the yellows ahead only for Rhys Henry to equalise, and then Callum Harrison restored a home advantage with seven minutes to go only for Jack Ainsley to cancel it out again with three minutes remaining. That, perhaps, should have been game over, but that was without substitute Freddie King, who notched two stoppage time goals for victory.

Tilbury are eighth, level on points with Sudbury, and their mini-blip is surely now over after they demolished ninth place Canvey Island at Chadfields. Lewis Smith- from the spot- and Mitchell Gilbey made it two-nil by the break, and Thomas Barton made it a comfortable three-nil in the second half.

Two mid-table sides- Great Wakering Rovers and Grays Athletic- shared the points and four goals, although Rovers needed a last minute equaliser to earn their point. Jake Gordon put Rovers ahead in the thirty third minute, but the lead lasted only two minutes before Mitchell Hahn got an equaliser. Adalberto Pinto put the visitors ahead in the sixty-fifth minute, but Grays then had Kieran Bishop red carded, and the ten men couldn’t hold on, conceding a last minute penalty which Gordon despatched.

Another draw was recorded at Julius Martin Lane, this one between Soham Town Rangers and Brentwood Town. Sam Mulready now has eighteen goals for the season for Rangers, the latest two coming as his side came from behind to secure a point- although they were ahead twice! Ryan Auger put the home side ahead in the third minute, and that lead was held for fifty minutes before Tony Stokes equalised. Mulready then got his first of the game before Stokes got his brace, and then Mitchel Hunter put the Essex side ahead- only for Mulready to level matters ten minutes before the end.

Finally, whatever is happening at Dereham Town, it’s fun for Magpies fans to watch. Five matches unbeaten have seen the Magpies climb away from the basement, and fourteen goals in their last three matches have made them the North Division entertainers. They got five yesterday- a Joe Gatting double complemented by Ryan Crisp, Adam Hipperson and Rhys Logan. Nana Boakye-Yiadom and Joseph Oluwatobi found the net for Barking. One of Alan Palmer's images from that match adorns this round up- and you can see the rest here.

South Central

Hayes and Yeading United have stopped scoring goals for fun, with only three in their last two matches- but they won’t care all that much given they won them both. Yesterday saw a tough encounter with Cheshunt decided by the only goal of the game, and it was Duncan Culley who ensured that United ended the day fifteen points clear at the summit.

Second place Marlow didn’t play, which allowed Bracknell Town to move only one point behind them with a five-one thumping of Waltham Abbey. A Liam Ferdinand hat trick and goals from Adam Cornell and Kensley Maloney did the damage, Billy Holland getting not much of a consolation for the Abbotts.

Westfield continued their magnificent run with a 4-0 victory over Uxbridge, Dylan Cascoe, George Firth, Arsen Ujkaj and Aaron Watson finding the net. The Woking side move to fourth, two points clear of the Ambers.

Ware were the big winners of the day. They travelled to a resurgent South Park and delivered a hammering, winning by six goals to one. Fraser John and Dave Cowley gave them a half time lead, but when Charlie Pitcher pulled a goal back for the home side just after the break it looked to be game on- but it was a false dawn for Sparks, as all it did was spark the visitors into action. Gareth Madden, an Albert Adu double and Brandon Adams made the match more than safe. One of our images- taken with thanks from the Ware Facebook Page- shows the delight of their supporters.

Tooting & Mitcham United and Northwood got one goal and one point each at Imperial Fields, Saidou Khan giving the home side the lead only for Sam Jenkins to equalise- whilst James Cottee got the only goal of the game at Hertingfordbury Park, as Ashford Town defeated Hertford Town one-nil.

Hanwell Town are tenth, goals from Brian Testolin (2) and Harvey Killeen enough to give them a three-one win over Egham Town, for whom Brandon McCarthy scored a consolation. The Sarnies are twelve points from safety.

Chipstead got back to winning ways with a 3-2 win over Chalfont St Peter, but they had to work hard for it. Ibitayo Oyebola gave the Chips a half time lead, only for Alan Hedley to equalise, but a Sam Bell double made things more comfortable- but not for long, Adam Morris reducing the arrears. Chipstead held on for the last twelve minutes to climb to eleventh.

Finally, FC Romania put a twelve point gap between themselves and the relegation places with victory over Bedfont Sports. Sergiu Maximov and Chiduben Onokwai made it 2-0 at the break, and although James Taylor pulled one back for Sports Dumitru Chiriac and Cosmin Anton made it four before Kiye Martin scored for Bedfont to make it 4-2.

South East Division

Cray Wanderers went sixteen points clear with victory over Guernsey in our Bostik Matchday feature- read it here, and with Ashford United not playing it was all about whether Hastings United could close the gap. They could manage only one point at Whitstable Town, however, Jordy Mongoy giving them the lead only for Jordan Wright to equalise.

Hastings are third, two points ahead of Horsham, who went to VCD Athletic and left with three goals and three points. Kieran Lavery put the Hornets ahead after nineteen minutes, and Chris Smith made it two from the spot just before the break- and although Malachi Hudson got one back for Vickers Horsham weren’t to be denied, Rob O’Toole making the points safe.

Haywards Heath Town are fifth, but they had to come from behind to defeat Herne Bay at Hanbury Park. Thomas Carlton gave Bay the lead before the break, but two goals in the last twenty minutes from Alex Laing and Thomas Graves completed the turnaround.

Whyteleafe are sixth, a first half show from Bradley Wilson, Kelvin Ogboe and Lauris Chin giving them an unassailable lead- although Alex Fiddes did get one back for hosts Sevenoaks Town- whilst Hythe Town found form again with a five-one win over Phoenix Sports. Zak Ansah grabbed a hat trick, Nigel Neita and Salvyn Kisitu got the others, and Jeff Duah-Kessie got the only goal for Sports.

Jerson Dos Santos earned East Grinstead Town their second win of the week at home to Ramsgate, scoring the only goal of the game, whilst, finally, Faversham Town left their fans full of smiles after walloping Greenwich Borough four-one. Indeed they scored all five goals, two from David Cook and two from Liam King in the right net, and an own goal at the other end.

Where next?

Bostik to Bostik transfers week ending 9 Feb 2019 Our internal moves from the last seven days
Dynan leaves K’s Kingstonian announce managerial departure after seven-one defeat

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