Gershfield double lifts Scholars

By Peter Butcher

POTTERS BAR moved up to second place in Ryman North with a 3-2 home victory over Cheshunt yesterday (Saturday) and James Gershfield’s two goals took his tally for the season to 11, eight of them in five league games.

Cheshunt led at half-time thanks to Leon Archer’s 20-yard strike after 31 minutes. Gershfield equalised in the 54th minute and put the Scholars ahead with nine minutes left. Rob Magwood added another before Iain Salt gave Cheshunt a ray of hope in the 88th minute.

Tilbury moved up to fourth thanks to a goal deep into added time which earned them a 1-1 draw at Soham. Michael Simpson scored for Soham after 55 minutes and it was almost enough. But Aaron Matthews fired a dramatic 93rd-minute equaliser from 25 yards, with all 22 players packed into the Soham half of the field.

Missed penalties were crucial in two other games. The bottom two met at Ware and they remain in their positions, with Ware two points adrift at the foot of the table, after a 1-1 draw with Redbridge. Elliott King gave Ware the lead in the 21st minute but Paul Shave’s free-kick levelled it 12 minutes later. Shave later put a spot-kick wide.

Needham’s free-scoring Sam Newson missed a late penalty which would have wrapped up a home victory over Romford and the Marketmen paid the price when Lewis Francis made it 2-2 with a spot-kick at the other end five minutes into added time. Newson had converted the afternoon’s first penalty in the 28th minute and scored again five minutes later. Francis quickly pulled one back with a 20-yard free-kick (celebrated in style, as pictured by Ray Lawrence/TGS Photo)and it stayed that way until the final moments.

Martin McNeil’s header gave Wroxham a 28th-minute lead at Chatham, Matt Solly drilled in the equaliser a minute later and that was that in a 1-1 draw.

Witham strolled to a 4-0 home win over Ilford, taking an early lead through Lewis Godbold. The visitors had Kabir Jeetoo sent off before Eric Gbio’s own goal doubled the lead six minutes before the break. Close-range strikes from Rob Whitnell and Tom Devaux wrapped it up after the break.

Where next?

Oystermen on the march AFTER losing their first three Ryman South games of the season, Whitstable have taken seven points from their next three and find themselves comfortably in the top half of the table.
Rose gets his reward SUDBURY'S disappointing start to the Ryman North season continued tonight (Wednesday) when they were unable to hold on to a lead and had to settle for a 1-1 draw at Ilford.

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