Only one of the top ten win, as Ashford United close the gap on Hastings at the summit

Hastings United have hit their stride and moved almost unnoticed to the top of the table, and they started well at VCD Athletic, Dave Martin putting them ahead after ten minutes. Vickers were in fine form at the weekend, and struck back on twenty eight minutes, Chris Edwards giving the home crowd something to shout about, but the next goal went to United, and arrived twenty five minutes from time, Sam Adams with it. Once more Vickers fired back, Youssef Bamba equalising from the spot with seventeen minutes remaining, earning a point for the hosts. United stay top, but their lead is reduced to two points.

Ramsgate and Ashford United faced off at Southwood, and the Nuts and Bolts were quickly ahead, Gary Lockyer- who scored in three minutes against Faversham Town on Saturday- taking a minute longer to open his account this time. Tijan Jadama’s fourth of the campaign drew the Rams level on twenty five minutes, but ten minutes later a foul by Jake McIntyre on Lockyer saw a red card waved at the Rams man and a Tashi-Jay Kwayie penalty converted for the visitors. The ten men quickly responded, and the deadly Joshua Ajayi levelled, his nineteenth of the campaign- but the last word went to Lockyer, his winner coming fifteen minutes from time and seeing the Nuts and Bolts become the only side in the top five to win. Image courtesy of the club.

Herne Bay and Sittingbourne have both been in good form of late, and the Brickies showed that form early on, Toby Bancroft- starting this one after coming on and scoring the winner against Sevenoaks Town on Saturday- giving them a second minute lead. The equaliser arrived just before the break, Kieron Campbell getting it, and that was that, the two having to be content with a point each.

Cray Valley PM travelled to Burgess Hill Town without a win in four, but if they were lacking confidence they didn’t show it, Rory Hill putting them ahead on sixteen minutes and Marcel Barrington making it two-nil just two minutes later. The Hillians didn’t lie down, and Lewis Taylor halved the deficit just after the hour, before being given another boost as Hassan Ibrahiym saw red for the Millers. Still, it looked as if Cray Valley would hold on- only for the hosts to score two goals right at the end, Lewis Finney and Max Miller with them, to earn a famous victory. The visitors ended with nine men, as Rory Hill also saw red.

Haywards Heath Town and Corinthian managed a nil-nil draw in Kent that left Heath in fifth.

Faversham Town hosted a Whitstable Town side whose previous good form had seemingly deserted them over the holiday period, but the Oysterboys went ahead on twenty two minutes, Stephen Okoh putting them in front. They doubled their advantage twenty minutes from time, Kemo Darboe with the goal, and although the Lilywhites got one back- Emmanuel Oluwasemo- held on for three points.

Lancing welcomed a Phoenix Sports side who have decided they won’t be whipping boys anymore and took the lead just after the hour, Malaki Toussaint with the opening goal. Sports doubled their advantage with fifteen minutes left, Lee Bird with their second, ans closed the gap on their second bottom opponents to four points.

Sevenoaks Town and Hythe Town managed no goals in the first half, then two within six minutes after the break- Jordan Sarfo giving the Cannons the lead and Kyle De Silva equalising for the hosts. Louis Collins then gave the hosts the lead with eighteen minutes remaining, and Fjord Rogers made sure of Oaks first win since November 27th with a third right at the end.

Whitehawk hosted Three Bridges in a Sussex derby, and the visitors saw Noel Leighton give them the lead on twenty minutes. On sixty two minutes we had uproar, as three players saw red- Leighton and Joe Stone for Bridges, Jamie Splatt for the Hawks- so we had half an hour of ten versus nine. Could the visitors hold out? They could, but they ended the match with eight men as Bryan Villavicencio saw red- not that Hawks were much better off, as Alex Malins had also been sent off by then.

East Grinstead Town made it four matches unbeaten and two wins in a row with victory over
Chichester City. The match had only one goal, and it went to Merrick James-Lewis eight minutes from time.

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