High-flying Hawks held at home

Second-placed Concord were unable to make up ground but were relieved to finish with a point after scoring twice in the last five minutes to salvage a 2-2 home draw with East Thurrock.

Dave Bryant put Rocks ahead right on half-time and a solo effort by Kye Ruel doubled the lead on the hour. Jason Hallett pulled one back with five minutes left and Tony Stokes equalised in the 89th minute.

It was the third time in a week that Stokes had scored inside the last ten minutes, producing four extra points for the Beachboys.

Wealdstone reclaimed third place with a 4-2 victory at Margate, who went ahead after three minutes through Kezie Ibe. A Tom Pett double turned it round in the game’s second quarter but Tommy Whitnell put Margate back on terms in the 55th minute.

Then came a devastating double blow: Matt Bodkin put through his own net on 65 minutes and veteran Scott McGleish netted a minute later on his debut for Stones.

So Concord are nine points behind Whitehawk with three games in hand, Wealdstone trail the leaders by 11 with four matches in hand and Lowestoft are 13 points back with six extra games to play.

The last few weeks of the season look set to test to the full the old adage that points in the bag are better than games in hand and at the moment Hawks, with their less crowded programme, remain favourites.

Margate’s defeat cost them their game in hand on Canvey, who remain a point ahead of them in fifth place, the final play-off spot.

Met Police closed to within three points of the islanders as they came from behind to win 2-1 at Hastings. Jack Dixon headed home a corner at the near post to put the Sussex side ahead on the hour but Howard Newton’s 25-yarder quickly squared it and Charlie Collins won it for the Met with six minutes left.

At the bottom, Carshalton’s survival hopes were given a boost by their 3-1 home win over Harrow, though they remain at the foot of the table and have played several more games than the sides above them.

Michael Peacock’s 36th-minute own goal gave Robins a 36th-minute lead which Pelayo Gomes Pico doubled soon after the interval. Shaun Lucien put Harrow back in it with 20 minutes left but Nathaniel Pinney made sure ten minutes later.

Carshalton are within a point of Hastings, though the latter have played five fewer games as have Thurrock, who remained three ahead of Hastings after going down 1-0 at Hendon, Isaiah Rankin scored on the hour.

The mid-table clash between Bognor and Leiston in Sussex finished all square. Michael Brothers scored for the visitors midway through the first half and Ollie Pearce replied five minutes before the break.