Fans flock in at Maidstone

It was the league’s best crowd since April 2010, when 2,162 turned out to see Dartford presented with the Premier Division championship trophy and 2,134 watched a top-of-the table Division One South game between Folkestone and Croydon Athletic for which admission was free.

The fans – apart from those supporting the visitors - were well rewarded as they saw Stones romp to a 5-0 victory. Alex Flisher and Shaun Welford got things moving with goals in the first nine minutes. The visitors missed their chance to get back into it when Junior Kadi’s penalty was saved by Charlie Mitten, and Stones settled it with goals from Tom Mills and Flisher in the first three minutes after the interval. Welford nabbed his second midway through the half.

Stones were also presented with their Macron Team Performance of the Month award for August/September. Pictured (by Steve Terrell) are Alex Flisher, manager Jay Saunders and Shaun Welford with Darren Hamer of Europa Sports.

A hat-trick by Luke Blewden powered Crawley Down back to the top of the table with a stunning 5-1 win at in-form Chipstead who started the day in fourth place, just one point behind their guests.

Jamie Cade struck the first blow for the Anvils after four minutes and Baff Addae added another on 34 minutes. Blewden opened his account just before the interval and struck twice more after the break. James McShane managed a consolation effort for Chipstead, who skidded all the way down to 10th in this very tight division.

The top two at kick-off time both slumped to home defeats. Leaders Folkestone went down 3-1 at home to Merstham, for whom Mark Nwokeji looks to have been a valuable acquisition.
Jack Macleod gave the visitors a second-minute lead which was wiped out after half-time by Ryan Philpott. Nwokeji, whose promising Football League career with Dagenham was wrecked by a knee injury in 2009, then scored twice in three minutes soon after the hour.

Walton & Hersham slipped from second to fourth after a 2-0 home defeat by Worthing. The woodwork played a key role here: Scott Tipper’s 23rd-minute opener for Worthing went in off a post and, after Scott Kirkwood made it 2-0 shortly before the interval, Gary Frewen and Graeme Purdy were both denied by the goal frame as the Swans tried to force their way back into the game.

Herne Bay are up to third after ramming in three unanswered goals at Three Bridges in the battle of the league newcomers. Rhys Lawson put them ahead midway through the first half, Dean Grant added another on the half-hour and James Turner wrapped it up ten minutes after the break.

Faversham are very much in the mix at the top after their 1-0 win at Burgess Hill, the only goal coming from Dan Lawrence soon after half-time.

Eastbourne, too, are well in contention. Danny Curd struck after six minutes in their 1-0 win at bottom club Tooting, who have scored only one goal and failed to take a point in five games in front of their own fans.

Horsham moved away from the lower reaches of the table with a 2-0 home win over Walton Casuals. It’s the first time they have won two league matches on the trot since the opening week of last season, when victories in successive away games at Kingstonian and Hornchurch was scant indication of the dismal season that was to follow. Gary Charman and Ryan Marriott were the men on target in the second half.

Leatherhead dropped to 21st place after their 2-1 home defeat by Ramsgate but it may be too early to despair. So tight are things that they are only seven points behind second-placed Folkestone with three games in hand. Tom Chapman hit a post for the visitors before Ashley Miller gave them a 36th-minute lead. Kev Terry replied for Tanners with 15 minutes left but there was no denying Chapman when he grabbed the winner five minutes from time.

Dave Cook was the hat-trick hero for Hythe in their 3-1 win at Corinthian-Casuals, who took an early lead through Jamie Byatt. Cook replied in the 13th minute and also hit the bar before putting his side ahead just before the half-hour mark. He completed his treble with 20 minutes left.

A Ryan Golding double gave Sittingbourne a 2-1 win at Whitstable. His 20th-minute opener brought an immediate response from Michael Smissen but the Oystermen had no comeback after Golding got his second with a 54th-minute penalty.