Goalfest!

Unbeaten this season and with five straight victories in all competitions, our leaders Folkestone Invicta have started this campaign how the ended the last- in fine form. Yesterday they welcomed a Bishop’s Stortford side who started the day in seventh place and seemed to have got over an early season blip, having scored eleven goals in winning their last three matches. We suggested in our preview that It may turn out to be a contest between Ira Jackson (seven goals so far) and the evergreen Jamie Cureton (six); but we were wrong, instead it was the Josh Vincent show, as the defender got the only goal of the game with thirteen minutes remaining.

Haringey Borough started the day in second place, and travelled to Cray Wanderers. Both sides had but one league defeat in their record, and it proved to be close, Dimitri Froxylias giving Borough a first half lead only for Joseph Taylor to equalise- scoring in his fifth successive match. That was that, and Borough drop to third, Cray are fifteenth after their fourth draw in six matches.

Fourth played third at Colston Avenue, as Carshalton Athletic hosted Hornchurch. The Robins had won their last four in the league to soar up the table, whilst the Urchins had but one defeat all season- and came into this match on the back of a six-nil cup win against Kempston Rovers last weekend. It was the Robins who had their wings clipped on this occasion, and Hornchurch did it in style, George Sauders and Lewwis Spence putting them two up within half an hour. Jerry Amoo got one back within two minutes, but after the break the Urchins added two more through Chris Dickson and Daniel Ucechi to go into second place, three points behind Invicta.

Enfield Town, in fifth, hosted a Corinthian-Casuals side still looking for its first league win of the season, but buoyed by a four-nil FA Cup win over Sevenoaks Town last weekend. The Towners were also victors, a 1-0 win over AFC Rushden and Diamonds seeing them through- but had to do without forward Sam Bantick, who left for Cambridge City on Thursday. The home side might have been deprived of Bantick, but it really didn’t matter, they did very well indeed without him. Billy Bricknell opened the scoring, and then last weekend’s cup hero, Muhammadu Faal, doubled their tally- and although Shaun Okojie got one back, Faal then made the points safe just after the hour mark.

We had a geological event at Rookery Hill, as Rocks played Rocks! The Essex Rocks of East Thurrock United were depleted by illness and injury as they bowed out of the FA Cup in a midweek replay in Peterborough, whilst the Sussex Rocks of Bognor Regis Town came into the match after a week of rest, as they despatched Sittingbourne last Saturday. If there was any seismic activity it all benefitted the home side, as they got each of the three goals, Danny Harris and Ayo Olukoga in the first half, Alex Clark ending the contest eleven minutes after the break. The Essex Rocks climbed to fifth.

It might have been suggested- indeed, it was- that Worthing would be a little frazzled after their late, late cup victory against Hastings United in midweek, and that their visitors, Leatherhead, who also played for one hundred and twenty minutes and then suffered the agony of losing a penalty shootout, might be similarly worn out. Ten goals later those words were being served cold.

Ollie Pearce, who scored a late goal for the Mackerel Men in midweek, got an early one yesterday- giving them a third minute lead. But the Tanners, without a win all season, struck back to go two one up, Travis Gregory and Charlie Hester-Cook turning the match on its head. A minute before the break Reece Myles-Meekums made it two-two, and seven minutes after the break the same player put the home side ahead once more. Then it all went wrong for Worthing; Tommy Wood made it three-three, and then put his side four-three up. Two minutes later Ibrahim Olutade made it three goals for the Tanners in four minutes to make it five-three to the visitors, and surely Leatherhead had their first win of the season?

They didn’t. To the delight of most of the shellshocked seven hundred and thirty nine in attendance, Lloyd Dawes got one back from the spot, and then three minutes from time Mason Doughty got an equaliser. Five-five, and a the kind of match that those present will remember for years to come.

Eleventh took on ninth as Brightlingsea Regent hosted a Horsham side who are still unbeaten away from home. That record remained at ninety minutes, but the positions had changed, the Hornets climbing to seventh and their hosts falling to fourteenth after the visitors comprehensively dismantled Regent in the first ten minutes, Chris Smith firing a double. Charlie Harris made it three-nil by the break, and Joe Shelley added a fourth after the break.

Lewes, who had seen their form improve dramatically courtesy of hard work and playing Leatherhead three times in a row, hosted tenth place Potters Bar Town at the Dripping Pan. The Scholars were also unbeaten in three- and now it’s four, and Lewes had a last minute goal to watch once again. On this occasion, however, it didn’t come from the Rooks. Bradley Sach put the visitors ahead with his fifth of the season, only for James Hammond to equalise for the Rooks shortly before the break. Ola Adeyemo then put the home side ahead, but only for two minutes before Josh Hutchinson levelled for the Scholars. Adeyemo got his second, and Lewes’ third, twelve minutes from time- and surely that was that? It wasn’t, as substitute Thomas Gogo levelled the match right at the end.

Our headline image comes from James Boyes, and shows Rooks fans enjoying the sunshine from behind the goal. You can find the rest of his pictures from yesterday by heading here.

Kingstonian hosted Bowers and Pitsea, the K’s on the up after wins over Merstham and Walton Casuals, whilst Bowers had also got back to winning ways after two league defeats by knocking Brentwood Town out of the FA Cup last weekend. K’s keeper Rob Tolfrey played his five hundredth match for the club, and celebrated with a clean sheet, but there were no goals at the other end either as both sides left with a point.

Cheshunt looked to record their second win of the season, and Afolabi Akinyemi must have thought that he’d put them well on the way, scoring the opener against Margate in the twenty-first minute. The Blues stormed back in the second half, however, and substitute Kadell Daniel turned the game in its head- first getting an equaliser after sixty-five minutes and then breaking Amber hearts with a winner right at the death. They were his fourth and fifth goals of the season.

Finally for the Premier Division, Wingate and Finchley hosted Merstham. The Blues hoped to continue the good form they showed in victory over London Colney last Saturday, whilst the Moatsiders wanted to bounce back after three successive defeats- and it was the visitors who got what they wanted, and how! Merstham got two goals in each half, Omar Folkes getting the first and last, Delano Sam-York and Ellis Brown getting the other two, a result which sees Merstham climb to eighth whilst Wingate are ten places behind.

North

Our North Division one hundred percenters Maldon & Tiptree hosted Basildon United. On league form alone this looked to be a home banker; but the Bees knocked Coggeshall Town out of the FA Cup at the weekend and would have been confident of causing an upset. That confidence would have taken a knock after just two minutes, Charlee Hughes giving the Jammers the lead, and when Tyrique Hyde got a second nine minutes before the break it became rather more comfortable got the hosts. Jorome Slew added a third ten minutes after half time, and a few minutes later the Bees were down to ten men and the match was as good as over.

Second placed Bury Town, who hadn’t yet lost a game, entertained Brentwood Town, who hadn’t yet won one. Those claims remained true after ninety minutes, but both sides left with a point. Indeed the fans could have gone and had a drink after only eight minutes, as by that point all the goals had been scored, Cemal Ramadan getting the home opener, Andy Freeman the equaliser.

Our match of the day saw the third placed Coggeshall Town looking to bounce back from that Cup defeat by defeating fifth place Canvey Island, who had got back to winning ways in midweek with a cup victory over Waltham Abbey. The Gulls took a first minute lead through Joseph Oluwatobiloba, but that simply awoke the savage beast, and the Seed Growers struck back with three- Conor Hubble in the first half, Ross Wall and Michael Gyasi with the others after the break.

Grays Athletic, who started the day in fourth place, ended it in third- winning a tight match against a Soham Town Rangers side who were also on a good run, unbeaten in the League and FA Cup since 20th August. Joao Carlos gave the Blues the lead, but Rangers equalised by the break through Matty Allan and then shocked the home fans by taking the lead on the hour through Toby Andrews. Into the last twenty minutes we went, and Lewis Clark got an equaliser before, sixteen minutes from time, Tony Stokes stepped up with what proved to be the winner.

Heybridge Swifts, who started the day in sixth, played their first League match for a fortnight as they travelled to Dereham Town, the Magpies looking to start turning draws into victories and to climb up the table. Their third draw in five was the result, both goals coming after the break- Adam Hipperson getting his fifth of the season for the home side, Evans Kouassi- who celebrated his thirtieth birthday this week, many happy returns- getting the equaliser ten minutes from time. Swifts slip to seventh, Town are thirteenth.

Great Wakering Rovers, in seventh, travelled to face a Romford side who have been rather consistent this season, losing every game but one and coming into this match on the back of four straight defeats in all competitions. It was five by full time, and Rovers were up to fifth, Jack Stevenson, Jake Gordon, Adalberto Pinto and Martin Tuohy scoring four goals for the visitors, whilst Inesh Sumiththran got one back from the spot.

AFC Sudbury looked to bounce back after midweek cup defeat as they travelled to Hullbridge Sports, the home side confident after picking up an extra Velocity Trophy point with a penalty shootout win over Canvey in their last match and picking up their first League win- against Cambridge City- three days beforehand. The home side will remain confident, as goals from Luke Hornsley and Timothy Monsheju wrapped up a home victory.

Tilbury and Aveley, tenth and twelfth respectively, faced each other at Chadfields. The Dockers saw a four match winning streak come to an end as they departed the FA Cup at Biggleswade last weekend, whilst the Millers were still looking to recapture their form of last season, having won only two matches this- both against Romford, in League and Velocity Trophy. Lewis Smith gave the Dockers the lead on the stroke of half time, George Allen equalised eighteen minutes later, and that proved to be that.

Finally Histon, in eleventh, faced fifteenth place Witham Town. The home side hadn’t managed to win on their own patch so far this season, whilst Witham had won their only league match this season, against Hullbridge Sports, away from home-and the visitors did it again, and in some style- falling behind in the twentieth minute to Ed Rolph but striking back with four goals, two each from Oliver Bell and George Bugg. Histon are sixteenth, Witham climbed seven places to eighth.

South Central

The big match in the South Central Division saw our one side with a one hundred percent record, Tooting & Mitcham United, travel to face fifth place Harlow Town. That perfect record went, but the unbeaten one didn’t, as two goals in three minutes- albeit with the half time break in between them- saw both sides take a point. Razzaq Coleman gave the Terrors the lead on the stroke of half time, Tayo Oyebola equalised almost immediately afterwards, and that’s how it remained. Tooting dropped to third, Harlow fell to sixth.

Second place Westfield, who scored eight goals in the Velocity Trophy in midweek, travelled to face a Hertford Town side who haven’t yet kept a clean sheet in the league- but who did win their last home league match, against Barking. Well Town certainly didn’t win this one! Westfield have been no slouches in front of goal in the league, either, and now sit on top of the table by goal difference with a tally of +17 after only five matches, helped by scoring NINE yesterday. It was three-nil at half time, Max Blackmore and a double from Elijah Simpson doing the early damage, but after the break the floodgates really did open, Blackmore completing a hat trick, Matt Steer getting two, Arsen Ujkaj getting one, and Aaron Watson getting another. Luke Theo Gymer got a consolation for Town, but it can have been no consolation whatsoever. Westfield ended the day looking down at the rest, whilst Hertford are sixteenth.

Hanwell Town, in third, travelled to face a Northwood side who sat second bottom and yet had been far better than the table might suggest. The Geordies took the lead ten minutes before the break through Gareth Chendlik, and although Alex Witham equalised in the forty fifth minute there was still time for Kieron Cathline to put the visitors ahead before the break. In the second half there was only one goal, and it came to Hanwell in the very last minute, Harvey Killeen with it. The Geordies ended the day in second place, the Woods got no upward movement.

Fourth place Chalfont St Peter lost to Chichester City in the FA Cup last weekend, but had otherwise been rather imperious, only Marlow managing to take a point from them in the league. They travelled to face Ware, who demolished Step Three Leiston by five goals to one last weekend and were unbeaten in all competitions. This was our BetVictor Isthmian Matchday feature, so you can read all about it HERE.

Marlow, who started the day in sixth place and also unbeaten, didn’t end the day in such good spirits- or with their unbeaten record intact. Chertsey Town were the visitors to the Alfred David Ground, and the FA Vase winners came from behind to record a four-two victory. Charlie Samuel gave the hosts a third minute lead, only for Scott Day to equalise, and although Devontae Romeo put Marlow ahead once more Michael Peacock drew the Curfews level once more, and then, just before the break, Jake Baxter gave them the lead. Four minutes after the break Lubomir Guentchev made the points safe, and left Chertsey one place above their visitors in eighth place.

Waltham Abbey travelled to face a Chipstead side who had won their last three matches in all competitions and were hoping to transfer their cup form to the League. They’d soon won their last four, as despite falling behind to Ryan Dear in the fourteenth minute the Chips struck back with three after the break, Tommy Smith, Tom Collins and Joe Jackson with them. Darrelle Russell made it three-two in the last minute, but there wasn’t time for the Abbotts to find an equaliser.

Bracknell Town travel to Bedfont Sports whilst sitting three points ahead of their hosts, and it was six by full time, with the Robins up to fourth. Both goals came after the break, and both came to Bracknell, Charlie Losasso and Shane Cooper-Clark finding the back of Sports net.

FC Romania were desperate to get back to winning ways after shipping fourteen goals in their last three matches and- unsurprisingly- losing them all. The Wolves headed to Uxbridge, who hadn’t had a match for a fortnight- but who won their last home match, against Staines Town, and who started the day with an unbeaten home record. After ninety minutes fourteen goals conceded had risen to twenty, and the Red Army cheered as their side smashed home six without reply- Jack Beadle proving he was about with a hat trick, Mahlondo Martin getting two, and Michael Kalu getting the sixth.

Staines travelled to South Park, and the Sparks picked up their first league victory, helped somewhat by playing against ten men for an hour after Mahrez Bettache’s dismissal. The home side were already a goal up by then, Charlie Pitcher getting it after only five minutes, and got two more against the delpeted Swans, Hayden Skerry and Andrew Herring in the forty fifth and eightieth minutes.

Our bottom side, Ashford Town, had had a terrible start to the campaign, losing every match in every competition. They hosted a Barking side who have managed only one point themselves, that coming in a draw at Bedfont Sports. The Tangerines got their first point, Barking their second, as goals from Daniel Brown and Ans Seymour cancelled each other out.

South East

Our top match in the South East Division featured two promoted clubs, as first place Cray Valley PM hosted third place Chichester City. By full time it was Chi who sat on top of the pile, first half goals from Jimmy Wild and Gicu Iordache the only goals of the game and giving the visitors a two-nil win. Mills drop to fifth.

Whitehawk, in fifth, hosted a Herne Bay side yet to live up to their promise and find some consistency. Both sides were knocked out of the FA Cup last weekend, but it was the Hawks who got back to winning ways and climbed to second place, walloping their visitors by five goals to one. Duane Ofori-Acheampong opened the scoring for the home side, and by the end of the match had a hat trick, Connor Tighe and Rob Deda scoring the other goals. Keiron Campbell got a consolation for Bay.

Hastings United jumped from fourth to third, bouncing back from the exhaustion of that midweek extra time FA Cup defeat at Worthing as they travelled back to West Sussex to face Three Bridges. Bridges had defeated two Sussex opponents in their last two matches, but failed to make it a hat trick. Craig Stone and Ben Pope got the visitors goals, whilst Andrew Sesay got one for Bridges.

Sixth place Sevenoaks Town travelled to Burgess Hill Town- a happy hunting ground for them last month as they knocked the Hillians out of the FA Cup with a three-nil victory. It looked as if lightning would strike twice as Oaks soared into a three-nil half time lead, Frankie Sawyer getting the opener and a Kyle De Silva double making things comfortable- but they weren’t all that comfortable, Tom Cadman and Warren Mfula scoring in the second half. Hill still haven’t won since the opening day and are sixteenth, whilst Oaks are up to fourth.

Another side who hadn’t tasted victory for quite a while were Burgess Hill’s neighbours Haywards Heath Town, who had lost three in a row in all competitions. They travelled to face a Whitstable Town side without a win since August Bank Holiday Monday, so three points would have done them both a great deal of good- but neither got them, Aaron Millbank opening the scoring for the home side only for Callum Saunders to equalise two minutes from the end.

VCD Athletic were another side without a league win since the Bank Holiday, but to be fair to Vickers two of their matches since then had been in the FA Cup, and they did win one of those on penalties! They travelled to East Grinstead Town, who hadn’t yet managed a victory this season- and the Wasps still held that unwanted record at full time, whilst Vickers got back to winning ways. Adrian Todd put the hosts ahead before the break, but after it Charlie MacDonald and Ayman El-Mogharbel turned the match on its head, as Vickers ended the day in sixth place.

We had a Kentish derby at Faversham Town, who entertained Sittingbourne. Faversham’s last match was a seven-one Velocity thrashing of Hythe Town, so they were on a high- and they continued with a much smaller victory, Anthony Adesite getting the only goal of the game just before the break.

Our early kick off saw Ramsgate entertain Guernsey, with the Rams still looking for their first win. They were still looking at full time, too, as the Green Lions became the top scorers in the Division with a four-one win. Ross Allen put them on their way in the twenty first minute, and although Rory Smith got an equaliser for the Rams Frank Tobin, Carlos Canha and Will Fazakerley sealed victory for Guernsey.

Phoenix Sports got themselves off the bottom of the table with their first win of the season, a second half double from Kenny Aileru allowing them to leap over both the Rams, who sit bottom, and second bottom Hythe Town- who were on the receiving end of Sports’ victory.

The match between Whyteleafe and Ashford United was postponed after a medical emergency before kick off.