Four of the top five win as Stortford remain in pole position

Our leaders, Bishop’s Stortford, knew that with a three point gap between themselves and fourth place Cray Wanderers they could easily be dethroned- but a comfortable win over relegation threatened Corinthian-Casuals averted any such possibility. Darren Foxley opened the scoring on six minutes, Frankie Merrifield made quite sure twelve minutes from time, and Foxley added a third right at the end. That’s seventeen goals for the season so far for funtime Frankie, and six defeats in a row for the pink and brown visitors.

Second place Enfield Town had won five of their previous six, and defeated their hosts, Billericay Town, as recently as 24th January. Well now they’ve won six of their last seven and done the double over the Blues- and they did it in style, winning four-nil and disappointing most of the one thousand and seventy one watching on. Andre Coker’s ninth of the season opened the scoring just before the half hour, and after the break a one way street was introduced in the direction of the home goal, Chez Isaac, Jake Cass and Lewis Taaffe making it two, three, four. The Towners remain second, two points behind Stortford.

Third place Aveley welcomed a resurgent Bowers & Pitsea, but the Millers ended the visitors three match unbeaten run and cemented their own position in doing so. Both Millers goals arrived after the break, a George Sykes penalty breaking the deadlock on sixty five minutes, Manny Ogunrinde adding the second eight minutes from time. Our image comes from Lambpix.

Cray Wanderers, three points off the top at start of play, dropped out of the top five after defeat at relegation-threatened Wingate & Finchley. The hosting Blues had only one win from their previous ten and had lost four of their last five, but they climbed out of the bottom four- and completed a double over their promotion-chasing visitors- by scoring the only goal of the game on fifteen minutes. Ben Siggers got it- his fourth of the campaign- and it may turn out to be invaluable. Wands have now won only one of their last eight against the Blues.

Hornchurch had lost their way a little, but did deliver a thumping win over Billericay Town in the County Cup in midweek and got back to winning ways in the league at Folkestone Invicta, despite ending the match with ten men. The Urchins took only eleven minutes to take the lead, Ellis brown with the goal, but the hosts drew level just before the break, Ade Yusuff converting his twenty fifth goal of the season, this one from the spot. Ten minutes after the break Sam Higgins, on from the bench, took his tally for the campaign to twenty three as he put the visitors ahead once more- and although Rickie Hayles saw red with twenty minutes to go the hosts couldn’t find an equaliser. Hornchurch are up to fourth- four points behind the leaders with a game in hand. Eight hundred and thirty two watched on as the visitors completed a double over their opponents. .

Canvey Island climbed back into the top five with victory over the side directly behind them in the table at start of play, Carshalton Athletic. Bradley Sach opened the scoring for the travelling Gulls immediately before the break, and Charlie Edwards sealed victory eleven minutes from time. That’s thirteen points from their last fifteen for Canvey, three games without a win for the Robins.

Lewes closed to within three points of the top five, and climbed to seventh, as struggling Kingstonian were despatched at the Dripping Pan. Joe Taylor got them underway from the spot just after the half hour- his twenty seventh of the season- scoring for the seventh match in succession. Ryan Gondoh doubled their advantage to the approval of most of the seven hundred and fifty one watching on, and eight minutes from time defender Will Salmon rounded things off by adding a third. The K’s have now taken only five points from their last eleven matches- and that run now sees them drop into the bottom four.

Potters Bar Town, back to winning ways in midweek, welcomed Haringey Borough to the Lantern Stadium. The Scholars had gone seven without a win before their triumph at Herne Bay, and they almost suffered defeat in this one, a late, late goal from Liam Hope earning them a point. Miles Mitchell-Nelson put the hosts ahead on thirty five minutes but they were in front for only four minutes before Erald Desa equalised. Just before the hour Ben Allen got a second for Borough, who must have thought they’d picked up three points before Hope doused their hope.

Herne Bay v Horsham was abandoned after a serious injury to a home player. We wish him a speedy recovery.

Hastings United welcomed Margate to Pilot Field. Gate have found their feet once more having won their last two and gone three unbeaten, and they stretched that run to four- but neither side managed a goal. One thousand and eighty eight watched on- United are twelfth, Gate are fifteenth.

Bognor Regis Town delivered a big win in the County Cup in midweek, and a comeback gave them another as Brightlingsea Regent lost a two goal lead at Nyewood Lane. Jake Thompson and Tom Richardson put Regent two goals up in the first half, but that sparked a Rocks comeback. Alfie Bridgman got one back just before the break, and the equaliser arrived just before the hour, Dan Gifford with it. Fifteen minutes more and the hosts were out of sight, Nathan Odokonyero’s twenty first of the season and another from Bridgman making it four-two and lifting the hosts to eight points above the bottom four. Regent remain in twentieth spot.

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