Invicta hit top spot, whilst Jammers and Ashford have a Bank Holiday bonanza

Premier Division

We started the day with Haringey Borough two points clear at the top of the table, and rather confident after winning every match and hitting five against Brightlingsea Regent on Saturday. Borough travelled to Wingate & Finchley, who hadn’t yet managed a league victory- but that changed, as a goal from Alphanso Kennedy- his second this weekend- was the only one of the game and gave the Blues three points which saw them climb to fifteenth and saw us get new leaders.

Those new leaders were Folkestone Invicta, who took on Merstham at the BuildKent Stadium and delivered a three-one victory. Jerson Dos Santos gave them an eighteenth minute lead, and when Kieron McCann made it two four minutes later it looked as if the stripes were on course for an easy win. Delano Sam-Yorke had other ideas and pulled one back before the break, but Ira Jackson made it three-one, and when Sinn’Kaye Christie was send off for the visitors it made the outcome rather more certain.

Hornchurch started the day in second place and travelled to face a Brightlingsea Regent side desperate to put that Haringey drubbing behind them. The Urchins found themselves on the receiving end of the backlash, as the only goal of the game- from Billy Hunt- saw Regent climb to sixteenth and Hornchurch slip to third.

Unbeaten Bowers and Pitsea travelled to face an East Thurrock United side who had blown hot and cold since the season began, following two victories with two defeats. After ninety minutes United were hot once more, and Bowers were no longer unbeaten. A double from Andrew Pugh and a third from Lewis Smith put the Rocks three up, and whilst David Knight got one back it was no more than a consolation.

Enfield Town, who started the day in fifth place, were hosting Potters Bar Town. The Scholars were looking to bounce back after being hammered by Invicta at the Pakex on Saturday, and they couldn’t have had a better start, Josh Hutchinson putting them ahead. Town hit back with two goals in three minutes just before the break, Ken Charles and Muhammadu Faal with them, but Bradley Sach struck eleven minutes into the second half to earn Bar a point.

Carshalton Athletic and Leatherhead contested a Surrey derby, with the travelling Tanners still looking for their first victory and the Robins on the crest of a wave after winning their last two. There was only one goal between them, and it went to the home side, who climbed to fifth courtesy of Paris Hamilton-Downes. Our headline image is of the Robins celebrating that goal, and it comes from Ian Mulcahy- you can find the rest of Ian's images here.

We had two Sussex grudge matches. Well, one Sussex grudge match, and one Sussex derby where both clubs quite like each other but were both desperate to win! The first saw Worthing take on Bognor Regis Town, and the Mackerel Men emerged with the bragging rights in front of a crowd of one thousand, six hundred and eighty four. Marvin Armstrong gave them a first half lead, and two goals in eight second half minutes from Ollie Pearce made the margin unassailable. At the Dripping Pan, Lewes, yet to pick up a victory, hosted a Horsham side who had taken to Premier Division life rather well, unbeaten after three matches. The Rooks remain rock bottom, second half goals from George Hayward and Joe Shelley lifting the Hornets into sixth place.

Kingstonian were still looking for their first victory, having drawn three out of their opening four matches, whilst Bishop’s Stortford hoped to turn around a run of two defeats by picking up three points at King George’s Field. The Blues gave the K’s the blues, goals from Shomari Barnwell, Johnville Renee and Ben Worman earning them a three-nil victory and leaving the K’s in nineteenth place.

Cheshunt and Corinthian-Casuals have both had mixed starts to their Premier Division campaign, and a late, late goal from Mu Maan meant that they shared the points. Tom Hitchock had given the Ambers a first half lead from the spot, and they must have hoped they’d secured all three points before Maan stepped up to equalise right at the death.

North Division

Great Wakering Rovers started the day at the top of the table after two victories, but faced a tough task as title favourites Coggeshall Town were waiting for them. The Seed Growers had four points from their opening two matches, and soon made it seven, Tom Hubble and Tevan Allen with a goal in each half to earn them a 2-0 win. Coggeshall climb to fourth, Rovers slip to seventh.

It was second v fourth at Park Drive as Maldon and Tiptree hosted Witham Town, and it was first v ninth by the end- or, in truth, by the thirty sixth minute, as by then the Jammers were four goals up. William Cracknell, Charlee Hughes with two and Al-Al Amin scored them, and although Shamido Pedulu pulled one back for Witham after the break, Tyrique Hyde restored the four goal gap to make it five-one seven minutes from time.

Third place Canvey Island, along with Rovers and the Jammers protecting one hundred percent records, travelled to face new boys Hullbridge Sports, and moved up to second with a three-one victory. Josh Hutchinson, George Purcell and Tobi Joseph gave the Gulls a three-nil lead, and although Ola Ogunfunmilade got one back it was no more than a consolation.

Fifth place Bury Town and eighth place Cambridge City both started the day with four points, but by the end Town had seven, as they recovered from scoring an own goal after two minutes to score three of their own after the break. Ryan Horne, Jared Robson and Emmanuel Machaya found the net, and fired Bury into third place.

Heybridge Swifts, in seventh spot, looked to bounce back from their heavy FA Cup defeat at Grays Athletic as they travelled to Felixstowe and Walton United. The last time the sides met, back in February, the Seasiders despatched their visitors by three goals to nil, but although the game once more had three goals, Swifts got two of them. Alex Teniola and Elliott Ronto made it two-nil by the break, and although Miles Powell got one back five minutes after the restart to make the second half interesting that was the last goal of the game. Swifts end the day in fifth place.

Grays Athletic and Basildon United both recorded crushing FA Cup victories at the weekend, but the sides, who started the day in tenth and ninth place respectively, each had a win and a defeat from their two league matches so far. United took the lead after six minutes through Harry Doyle, but Athletic equalised ten minutes later through Steve King and then, when it looked as if a draw was certain, scored twice in the last five minutes to take the points. Tony Stokes got both goals as Grays climb to sixth.

Histon and AFC Sudbury also recorded FA Cup victories at the weekend, but it was the yellows who used that result as a springboard, following up with a four-one away win. Sean Marks got their first and last goals, Freddie King the two in the middle, whilst Danny Gould got the consolation for Histon.

Dereham Town had recorded two draws in their opening two matches, but looked good in both. They hosted a Soham Town Rangers side yet to take a point, so the outcome was certain, wasn’t it? It loked even more certain when the Magpies opened the scoring after six minutes through Eoin McQuaid, but Sam Mulready levelled for the Greens one minute later and then got Rangers winner nine minutes after the break. The visitors climb to thirteenth, Dereham slip to seventeenth- and the image above is of Sam celebrating what turned out to be his winning goal. It comes from Alan Palmer, and the rest of Alan's shots can be found here.

Romford lost so badly in their last league match that they’d offered supporters their money back, but they had a much better result in the FA Cup at the weekend so will have gone into their home clash with managerless Aveley with some confidence. That confidence was soon shattered after new signing Alex Read opened the scoring for the Millers, and then Aaron Condon and James Love made it 0-3 at the break. Keiron Owusu pulled one back for Boro, but Love scored again with nine minutes left to secure victory. Aveley climb to eighth, Romford remain in the basement.

Tilbury, in eighteenth spot at kick off, hosted a match against another team with no points, Brentwood Town. There was only one goal, and it came to the Dockers, who climb to fourteenth. Jordan Cox found the net from the spot after 55 minutes.

South Central

We started the day with four sides, Chalfont St Peter, Hanwell Town, Westfield and Tooting & Mitcham United having taken maximum points from their opening two fixtures. We ended the day with two one hundred percent-ers- Westfield and Tooting.

Each one of our leading quartet were away from home. The Saints looked to have the biggest challenge, as they travelled to face a Marlow side still smarting from a heavy FA Cup defeat at the weekend. They took an early lead through Luke Illsley, but Marlow equalised twelve minutes later through Charlie Samuel and that’s how the match ended, which saw the Saints slip to fourth and Marlow climb to sixth.

Hanwell were at South Park, the Sparks fresh from an FA Cup victory but still searching for their first league win. They came very close to getting it, and then came very close to throwing it away! Dwayne Duncan gave Town an early lead, But Sam Remfry, Alejandro Piedrahita and Andrew Herring made it three-one, and that’s how it remained until six minutes from the end. The last six minutes were rather manic. First Gareth Chendlik pulled one back, and then the same player got an equaliser with three minutes to go. South Park then got a last minute penalty, which Herring converted, and surely that was that? It wasn’t- there was still time for Tayshan Heyden-Smith to make it four-four. Town end the day in third, Sparks in seventeenth.

Westfield travelled to Ashford Town as strong favourites, given the Tangerines had yet to pick up a point and had conceded thirteen goals in their opening four matches of the season. It was seventeen by full time, all four goals coming after the break- Anthony Oaks, Aaron Watson and two from Max Blackmore doing the damage and seeing Field climb to the summit, whilst Town hold up the rest.

Tooting travelled to Chipstead, and although Danny Bassett got his customary early goal to put them ahead, Allan Tait equalised on the quarter hour. There was only one goal after the break and that went to the Terrors, who climbed into second place due to Daryl Coleman’s winner. We’ll be at Imperial Fields on Saturday for the Terrors match with Northwood, so check back here for words and pictures by half past five.

Title-favourites Bracknell Town bounced back from opening day defeat to Chipstead with two victories, and were looking to make it three in a row as they travelled to face a Northwood side with no points from their first two outings. The Woods belied that record by flying into a two goal lead after fourteen minutes, Charlie Hayford and Conrad Kweku Lucan finding the net, but Nathan Minhas reduced the arrears just before the break and Dan Carr got the equaliser thirteen minutes from time.

Fifth place Waltham Abbey travelled to Harlow Town and were twice ahead, yet ended up with nothing. Tayo Oyebola gave the Hawks the lead only for Billy Holland and Aron Gordon to turn things around by half time. Christian Adu Gyamfi drew the Hawks level ten minutes after the break, but the Abbotts went back in front on sixty eight minutes- and held that lead until four minutes from time. Matthew Rush got the equaliser for Harlow, and then, right at the end, Terrell Egbri have the Hawks all three points.

Bedfont Sports and Chertsey Town both picked up FA Cup victories at the weekend, and Sports made it a happy Bank Holiday Weekend with the only goal of the game, Reece Cave getting it after only two minutes.

Hertford Town and Barking started the day both looking for their first point, and Barking struck first through Theo Fairweather-Johnson. Town got all of the points, however, Isaac Dizolele Pedro and Prince William Domafriyie with the goals that sent them up into fourteenth.

Uxbridge entertained a Staines Town side who had delivered an FA Cup massacre to South East Phoenix Sports at the weekend, and who had drawn both of their opening South Central matches. Uxbridge took an early lead through Jack Beadle, and although Jamie Philpot equalised for the Swans they were level for only seven minutes, Mark McLeod with the winner for the home side.

South East

Haywards Heath Town sit at the top of the South East table, but they managed only a point as they travelled to Whitehawk. They were eight minutes from claiming all three, Trevor McCreadie putting them ahead from the spot after sixty six minutes, but Connor Tighe got the equaliser to keep the Hawks unbeaten.

Whyteleafe are in second, and they walloped Guernsey four-one. A Ronald Sobowale hat trick and a goal from Emmanuel Mensah made the difference, although Ross Allen got one back for the Green Lions from the spot.

An own goal turned out to be the only goal of the game in the match between Cray Valley PM and Sevenoaks Town, and Oaks scored it, so Cray took the points. The new boys move up to third.

Ashford United were the days big winners, and sit fourth after walloping Three Bridges five-nil at Jubilee Field. David Smith got four of them, and Levi Gold added the fifth eleven minutes from the end.

VCD Athletic travelled for sixty seconds to get to Mayplace Road, home of neighbours Phoenix Sports, and picked up both three points and local bragging rights as Henry Ikeije and Charlie MacDonald scored on nine and twenty seven minutes. Jack Hopkins got one back for Sports, but it wasn’t enough.

VCD are fifth, ahead of Chichester City on goals scored. City played their first ever Isthmian League derby match as they travelled to Burgess Hill Town, and very much enjoyed the experience, goals from Lloyd Rowlatt and Scott Jones giving them a two-one win. Warren Mfula got the consolation for the Hillians, who are thirteenth.

Hastings United were held nil-nil at East Grinstead Town. United are seventh, the Wasps fifteenth.

Whitstable Town climb to ninth, courtesy of a three-nil win over Herne bay. Marcus Elliott gave them an early lead, and after the break John Walker and Aaron Millbank got numbers two and three. Bay slip to eleventh.

Finally, Sittingbourne got their second victory of the weekend, this one coming at Ramsgate. Roman Campbell got his third and fourth goals of the season, the last one coming ten minutes from time to seal victory after Stephen Smith had earlier equalised for the Rams. The Brickies climb to twelfth, whilst the Rams remain devoid of points.