Hastings lift their trophy, whilst Ashford confirm home play off advantage

By Ian Townsend

It was a bad day for the Millers, but a worse one for the Rams and the Oysters. Here’s our Pitching In Isthmian South East round up.

Title winners Hastings United welcomed VCD Athletic and went ahead after just six minutes, Jack Dixon with the goal. The hosts, who were celebrating their promotion, had to deal with an attack of mindless vandalism before the game, but VCD vandalised their own chances when they gave Danny Parish the chance to make it two from the spot with twenty three minutes left. Kenny Pogue made it three with nine minutes remaining, and the two thousand and eighty four watching on began their party.

There was still time for Charles Etumnu to see red for Vickers, but that was that, and the home fans stayed on to watch the trophy being lifted.

Our image comes from Andy Wilson on the Facebook Hastings fans site.

Ramsgate have been on a terrible run, a run which has seen them slip out of the play off place they’ve occupied for most of the season, and they had a task on their hands as they travelled to second place Ashford United. Thomas Fagg opened the scoring for the Nuts and Bolts on six minutes, but the Rams were level eight minutes later Ben Fitchett with the equaliser. They weren’t level for long, however, Gary Lockyer putting the hosts ahead from the spot on twenty six minutes, and the same player made it three-one just before the break.

Five hundred and sixty watched on, and the visiting contingent would have been just about waving their play off hopes goodbye when Mamadou Diallo made it four-one just after the hour, although Karn Miller-Neave got one back just before the end. The Nuts and Bolts have guaranteed a home play off semi-final, and likely a home play off final should they reach it, whilst the Rams are five points behind Herne Bay with two matches remaining.

Cray Valley PM took a blow as Burgess Hill Town went ahead on the stroke of half time due to an own goal, and that turned out to be the only goal of the game, the Millers slipping to fourth.

Haywards Heath Town hoped to underline their play off credentials as they welcomed Corinthian, but the game ended goalless, aided by a missed penalty for the hosts. They did climb to third, nonetheless.

Hythe Town and Sevenoaks Town delivered a goalless first half, but we had a goal soon after the restart, Bradley Wilson firing Oaks ahead on the hour. That turned out to be that, and it guarantees the Oaks safety- a phenomenal job done by Harry Hudson since his arrival. The Cannons have a five point cushion and should probably be ok.

Phoenix Sports surely had to win to have any chance of avoiding the drop, and they went ahead just before the break, Alfie Evans breaching the Lancing rearguard. The Lancers also needed the points, but they left with none, and no goals, slipping to second bottom, Sports going above them.

Whitstable Town’s survival hopes took a massive blow as Faversham Town left Belmont with the points. The only goal of the game arrived nineteen minutes from time, and it went to Emmanuel Oluwasemo for the Lilywhites. Harry Goodger was sent off late on for the Oysters.

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Where next?

A Fantastic fifth place fight- and it’s a battle at the bottom Three points separate Cheshunt, Folkestone Invicta and Lewes- and we’ve four between five at the bottom. Here’s our Easter Monday Pitching In Isthmian Premier preview
Another Sports comeback- and five for the Curfews Bedfont manage to snatch another win from defeat, Chertsey march on, and the Geordies give themselves a cushion. It's our Pitching In Isthmian South Central round up.

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