Holloway saves a precious point

There was drama at the start and finish of Canvey’s visit to Margate, who started the day in sixth place, a point behind the Essex club with a game in hand.

That remains the situation after a 2-2 draw, but plenty happened along the way. Rob King’s volley gave the islanders the lead after just 40 seconds and they doubled it in the seventh minute when Bradley Woods-Garness notched his 20th league goal of the season.

Tommy Kavanagh almost made it three with a free-kick that hit the bar before Matt Bodkin reduced the arrears from close range midway through the half.

It looked as if that would be that until the second minute of added time, when Margate were awarded a penalty and Jamie Hand levelled the scores.

Then, in the seventh added minute, a foul on Dean Mason presented Canvey with a penalty of their own. Up stepped King, probably the league’s most reliable spot-kick ace, and Margate’s goalkeeping player-manager Craig Holloway rose to the occasion by tipping the ball round his left-hand post.

Top met bottom at Whitehawk, and Carshalton held out for 68 minutes before James Fraser gave Hawks the lead. Charlie Henry made it 2-0 in stoppage time and Hawks retained their nine-point lead. Carshalton, seven points adrift of safety and with only eight games left, have a doomed look about them.

Second-placed Concord have three games in hand on Whitehawk and maintained their title bid with a 3-0 home win over Enfield Town.

Steve King headed home a cross from debutant Ben Greenhalgh eight minutes before half-time and the same pair combined for centre-back King to net his second in the 80th minute. Jason Hallett added a third in the 90th minute.

Enfield were without veteran goalscorer Scott McGleish, whose prolific form had lifted them out of relegation trouble. He joined Wealdstone during the week.

The fourth game, like the other three, produced a very late goal - and it was the decider. Paul Vines struck in the first minute of added time to give Kingstonian a 2-1 victory at Lewes and arrest their recent slide, though possibly too late to revive their play-off hopes.

Lewes, not out of the relegation woods by any means, fell behind to a Matt Pattison goal after 34 minutes. Nathan Crabb equalised on the hour and that almost earned the hosts a valuable point.

Then, with home keeper Kieron Thorp grounded, a Pattison shot was cleared off the line by Chris Breach and Vines pounced to head into the empty net.

The picture sums up the day for many clubs: a flooded pitch at East Thurrock, the only sign of life a solitary seagull to the left of the shot.