Invicta narrow the gap, Gulls move on up, whilst Hastings extend their lead despite a second consecutive draw.

Folkestone Invicta moved to within two points of leaders Worthing with victory over Hornchurch at the BuildKent Stadium last night- and dented the promotion hopes of their visitors in the process.

It all started so well for the Urchins, who took a second minute lead through Adam Cunnington, but just over half an hour later Ronnie Dolan equalised for the hosts. Hornchurch were given another boost with the dismissal of Invicta’s Callum Davies just before the break- but the ten men weren’t fazed by this and pushed on to take the lead in the fifty first minute, Alfie Paxman adding their second.

Any chance Hornchurch might have had of salvaging something from the game took a mortal blow with nineteen minutes to go, when Lewwis Spence joined Davies in taking an early shower- and the hosts held on to take all three points. The Urchins are eleven points behind Worthing, albeit with two matches in hand- and that was their first defeat in the league since October 19th. That run includes six draws and five victories.

Enfield Town are up to seventh- one point behind the fifth place Urchins- courtesy of a fine second half performance at Margate. The match was goalless at the break, but after it Lyle Della-Verde, Billy Bricknell and Ryan Blackman each found the back of the Blues net as the visitors left with three points and three goals. Margate’s inconsistent form- they’ve won three, drawn two and lost five of their last ten- continues, and they remain twelfth.

Brightlingsea Regent celebrated their first league victory since December 7th as Jake Clowsley scored the only goal of the game against Bishop’s Stortford at the Taydal- a result which lifts them up into nineteenth place. The visiting Blues are three places and nine points further up.

Cheshunt are one place and two points ahead of Regent, and last night picked up a point at home to Bowers and Pitsea. Zack Newton gave the Ambers the lead in the nineteenth minute, but Bowers struck back to level nine minutes later, Bradley Warner scoring from the spot. Bowers climb to fifteenth.

Corinthian-Casuals, in twenty first, opened the scoring at King George’s Field a minute before half time, Bradley Wilson making the breakthrough. Visitors Bognor Regis Town weren’t to be denied, however, and James Crane got their equaliser nineteen minutes from time- a point which sees them remain in ninth.

North Division

We had only one match in the North Division due to the weather, and it saw Canvey Island move up to sixth place with a two-one win over Cambridge City. All of the goals came in the first half, Jason Hallett and an own goal giving the Gulls a two-nil lead, Arel Amu pulling one back for the visitors, who remain in fifteenth.

South Central

Second place Hanwell Town could have gone to the top of the table had they managed to defeat fourth place Uxbridge at Honeycroft, but instead both sides cancelled each other out as nobody managed a goal. The point each leaves them exactly where they started the day.

South East

Hastings United did something rather remarkable- they failed to win for the second successive game! Mind you, once again they didn’t lose either, a second draw in two matches coming in a stalemate with visitors Herne Bay. That was United’s game in hand over second place Ashford United, and the point extends their lead at the top to six points. Bay climb into the top five.

Seven points behind Hastings in third place sit Whitehawk. The Hawks scored the only goal of the match as they hosted Whyteleafe- who slip to sixth- but were perhaps helped by the fact that their visitors somehow managed to pick up three second half red cards. Bentley Graham was sent off in the fifty second minute, Peter Wedgeworth joined him a minute later, and Helge Orome managed to pick up two yellows in sixteen minutes after coming on as s substitute, leaving the fray a minute before the end. The goal came in the first half, from Lucas Rodrigues.

Cray Valley PM are up to fourth, and they provided the performance of the night, walloping VCD Athletic by five goals to nil. Denzel Gayle and an own goal gave them a two-nil lead at the break, whilst in the second half Gavin Tomlin got two and Ashley Sains added the fifth.

Guernsey flew in to Gatwick Airport and then made the rather short trip to Three Bridges. The short hop back to the airport will have been a happy one, as the Green Lions emerged victorious, two second half goals earning them three points and lifting them to eighth. Matt Loaring and Stephen Renouf found the back of the Bridges net.

Velocity Trophy

We had two matches in the Velocity Trophy, one of them still in the group stages- which perhaps demonstrates just how many postponements Burgess Hill Town have had of late. The Hillians moved on to face Corinthian-Casuals in the knockout stages as they defeated Chichester City by three goals to nil, Josh Short, Pat Harding and Mason Doughty doing the damage.

Maldon and Tiptree hosted Merstham in the Second Knockout stage, and after a goalless draw the Jammers won the penalty shootout to progress.