Four, three, two…

Protesters on the Dartford crossing put paid to three of our Pitching In Isthmian Premier matches last night, Bognor v Bowers, Lewes v Aveley and Herne Bay v Billericay all biting the dust. And then there were two!

Corinthian-Casuals were searching for a first win since the opening day as they welcomed Folkestone Invicta- at Fetcham Grove, Leatherhead, due to their tree-damaged King George’s Field remaining unavailable. Their search continues, as Invicta bounced back from three consecutive league defeats in style, smashing home four goals without reply. Ade Yusuff got the first three of them, Ira Jackson added a fourth from the spot, and Invicta are up to twelfth- with games in hand over almost every team above them.

Wingate & Finchley, one point ahead of Casuals at the wrong end of the table, continue their search for a first win as Hastings United took them to pieces on Summers Lane. United had won three of their last four matches by one goal to nil, but it seems they had been saving up their goals for the Blues. Kane Penn put the visitors ahead just before half time, and after the break it was one way traffic, Tom Chalmers, Ben Pope and Sam Adams making it four-nil and sending their side up to eighth- only a point behind the top five. It’s now eleven matches without a win for both Wingate and Casuals.

Into the Pitching In isthmian North, and Gorleston, buoyed by their first win on Saturday, welcomed Stowmarket Town. The visitors arrived in fine form with an unbeaten run in all competitions stretching back eight matches- and they extended that to nine, a goal in each half enough for victory. Reggie Lamb got the first, on eight minutes, Josh Curry got a second on sixty seven, and although things got a little hot for curry when he was dismissed with eight minutes to go, his side held on comfortably to climb to fourth.

Heybridge Swifts lost their first league match of the season on Saturday, but they weren’t prepared to let that become a habit and moved up to fifth with victory at Witham Town. Darren Phillips got both goals, one in each half- and is pictured courtesy of Alan Edmonds.

Another side in form, AFC Sudbury, were on the road to Hullbridge Sports- who became the first side to take a point from leaders Lowestoft, on Saturday. The Yellows are up to sixth, a point outside the top five with two games in hand and nine points behind the Trawler Boys with three games in hand, after winning two-nil last night. The breakthrough came ten minutes after the break through Joshua Pollard, and of course we had to have a Nnamdi Nwachuku goal, so that arrived five minutes from time. That’s fifteen for the season for the Sudbury number nine.

Into Pitching In Isthmian South East, and fourth welcomed second as Chatham Town took on VCD Athletic. The Chats now occupy second spot, a seventh match unbeaten seeing them above last night’s visitors- who fell to their first defeat in six. It was fairly comfortable for the hosts, Dan Bradshaw putting them ahead on ten minutes, Jack Evans doubling their advantage nine minutes later, and Emmanuel Oloyede effectively ending the contest ten minutes after the break. Vickers slip to third.

Beckenham Town hoped to get back on track after a trouncing at the hands of National League Dagenham & Redbridge on Saturday- but it was hosts Hythe Town who found form once more, with a three-nil win. Johan Caney-Bryan started things off with his sixth of the campaign, four minutes before the break, and Mitchell Harman doubled the hosts advantage on the hour. Frannie Collin then made quite sure of three points with a third goal, twenty minutes from time. The Cannons climb to tenth, a place behind their visitors.

We also had a number of matches in the Velocity Cup. Basingstoke Town welcomed Binfield in an all South Central clash, and a goal in each half sent the Moles through, Eddie Lee and James Beauchamp with those. The Moles path was made rather easier as the hosts played seventy minutes with ten men, Shaun Dallimore seeing an early red card.

South Park Reigate defeated Ashford Town in a five goal thriller. Marcell Campbell opened the scoring early for the Sparks, with Dan Brown soon drawing the Tangerines level, but after the break Abel Vendrells scored twice for Sparks to cap a man of the match performance. Danyaal Iqbal got another back for the visitors just before the end.

A Jordan Adeyemi goal nine minutes from time saw Walton & Hersham defeat Northwood.

South East sides Chichester City and Haywards Heath Town were also separated by just one goal, Joe Moore getting it for City, whilst East Grinstead Town and South Central side Leatherhead needed penalties to separate them after a one-one draw. Omar Folkes gave the Wasps the lead on half an hour, Ayuub Ali equalised for the Tanners, and the Tanners progressed six-five from the spot.

At the other end of the A264 Three Bridges welcomed Sutton Common Rovers. That one also went to penalties, and it also ended in an away win. Javin Dougan gave Rovers the lead midway through the first half, Conner Collcut equalising for Bridges just before the break. Matt Surmon then restored the Rovers lead only for Michael Wilson to quickly equalise, and that was that until the shootout, Rovers winning that four-three.

We had an all-North clash as Great Wakering Rovers travelled to take on Tilbury at Chadfields, and the hosts were dominant. Darnell Kithambo gave the Dockers the lead on thirteen minutes, Alex Clark took only another thirteen minutes to make it two, and David Knight made it comfortable at the break. Callum Boylan got one back for Rovers just before the end, but it did them little good.

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