Five matches, THIRTY FIVE goals- and new leaders!

Ramsgate had the chance to go back to the top of Pitching In Isthmian South East, but they needed a substantial win at East Grinstead Town to do so- and the Wasps very much needed the points at the other end, too.

The match got off to an absolute flyer, with four goals in the first half an hour. Matt Daniel shocked the visitors by putting the hosts ahead on eleven minutes after a deadly counter attack, only for Alfie Paxman to head the Rams level seven minutes later. Just before the half hour the turnaround was complete, Sinnkaye Christie putting the visitors ahead by heading home a corner, but the Wasps charged straight up the other end and equalised, Oliver Spinks delighting the home contingent. They’d have been less delighted as the Rams took control after the break, however, Joe Taylor scoring on fifty seven and sixty minutes- and taking his tally for the season to FORTY EIGHT. With eleven minutes to go Christie joined Taylor on a brace and made it five-two with a carbon copy of his first goal, and deep in added time Taylor- who else- grabbed yet another match ball and made it six-two, and in doing so sent his side top of the table by one goal, as well as taking the Rams tally for the season in the league to ninety nine.

The Wasps are only four points above the drop zone.

Third place Sittingbourne were effectively one win away from confirming a play off place, but fell behind at Littlehampton Town with only nineteen minutes left- and to make it worse for the Brickies it was an own goal which gave the Golds the advantage. We don’t normally mention the scorers of own goals, but we’ll make an exception because Gabriel Piorkowski didn’t let his head drop and ten minutes later was at the other end delivering an equaliser- and it was the last goal of the night, the Brickies in third, their hosts five points clear of the drop zone.

Three Bridges looked back to their early season best and took a ten match unbeaten run into their match against managerless Hythe Town, having won their previous four and scored three goals on each occasion. Bridges were quickly ahead, Noel Leighton’s thirty second of the season opening the scoring on thirteen minutes, and Leighton was enjoying his evening even more when he headed home nine minutes before half time to make it two-nil- and we’re sure he was utterly joyous when he completed yet another hat trick five minutes later! It was, rather incredibly, five-nil by the break, as Ibrahim Jalloh and Nabeel Ghannam scored in added time- although the Cannons got what looked to be a consolation three minutes into the second half, Brad Schafer pulling a goal back, and they must have enjoyed that, particularly Schafer, as within ten minutes he’d completed his hat trick and pulled things back to five-three! The ninth goal of the night could have made all the difference had the visitors got it, but it went to Bridges, Ghannam making it six-three with twenty five minutes left, and the hosts added a seventh with eleven minutes to go, Jalloh’s second of the match. We still hadn’t finished, as four minutes into added time the match had an ELEVENTH goal, Kevin Rivera making it EIGHT-THREE! That’s seven defeats in a row for the visitors, who will be desperate for the season to end, and a five point gap between fifth place Bridges and sixth place Lancing.

Image from Dave Burt.

Horndean’s match against Phoenix Sports was on the 3G of Chichester City, which allow the weather to be defeated- and the Deans made a speedy start at defeating Sports, too. Tommy Scutt got his twelfth of the season to put them ahead after ten minutes, and nine minutes later it was two-nil, Liam Callaghan with his first of the campaign. The visitors didn’t let their heads drop, and were back in it on twenty seven minutes, Ryan Hayes having the deficit, and within two more minutes had levelled through Gael Kileba- but we had a fifth goal of the half six minutes before the break, Dan Sibley restoring the hosts lead. Sports levelled again just before the hour, Tashi-Jay Kwayie making it three-three, and with nine minutes left the same player put them ahead for the first time in the match, four-three- but the lead lasted only two minutes before it was four-four, Zack Willett for the Deans. Did we have time for a ninth goal? On this occasion, no- and the visitors are seven points clear of the drop zone, their hosts in thirteenth.

Finally, Beckenham Town welcomed Sheppey United with their plight still rather desperate, if a little less desperate after Saturday’s five-two win over Hythe Town. With a seven point gap between themselves and safety at kick off, Town needed to win and hope, and they went ahead on seventeen minutes, Robert Carter heading home the opener. They doubled their advantage on twenty seven minutes, Steven Townsend making it two with a near post finish, but the visitors were back in the match when Jerson Dos Santos got a goal back three minutes before half time. The hosts looked more secure when Louie Theophanous made it three-one with nineteen minutes left, and it got even better for Becks when the Ites saw Jake McIntyre dismissed- but the ten men then scored, David Johnson pulling it back to three-two. It was three-two for only one minute before Theophanous added another for the hosts, and that was where the goals ended- Becks four points from safety.

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