It’s a four point lead for dominant Hastings- and Vickers deliver a stunning comeback

Top of the table Hastings United managed to conquer the rain and kick off against Faversham Town, and they were ahead on twenty one minutes when Ben Pope got his fifteenth of the season. The advantage was doubled soon after the restart- Finn O’Mara with his third of the campaign, this one an overhead kick- and the match was surely over when Pope made it three, assisted by Andrew Sesay.

O’Mara got a fourth just before the hour as the hosts began to run riot, and that was that- United ending the day four points clear. Nine hundred and one braved the elements.

Ashford United, newly reinforced with Frannie Collin and Jack Hanson, knew that they could go top of the table if Hastings United slipped up. The Nuts and Bolts certainly looked as if they would play their part when Jay May put them ahead against Lancing after ten minutes, his seventh goal of the season- and Tashi-Jay Kwayie doubled the advantage just after the half hour- pictured, courtesy of the club. The visitors weren’t going to lie down, however, and Will Berry halved the home advantage six minutes from the break, and then the Lancers shocked their hosts with an equaliser twenty two minutes from time, Ismaila Diallo delighting the travelling faithful.

Four hundred and twenty turned up to watch, but we suspect that only the visitors left feeling delighted.

VCD Athletic have been in fine form of late, four matches unbeaten, and after taking a point from title favourites Hastings United last time out were facing another Sussex side, Three Bridges hoping to finish the match with the same number of players who started it.

Vickers striker Jeff Duah-Kessie can be deadly on his day, and was deadly after two minutes, scoring the first goal of our Pitching In Isthmian League afternoon, but Bridges have striking talent of their own and two goals in the space of four minutes, from Dan ‘Hitman’ Perry and Curtis Gayler on nineteen and twenty three minutes, gave the hosts the lead. They held the lead for only two minutes before Anthony Adesite drew the visitors level, the player moving to double figures for the season, but again Bridges hit back, Brannon O’Neill putting them three-two up just before half time, converting with a close range header.

Another forty five minutes went by, and Bridges had a guaranteed three points- but somehow they ended up with none. First Youssef Bamba grabbed an equaliser, and then, from somewhere, Jason Williams found time to get Vickers a winner.

Bamba, by the way, has now scored in nine consecutive league matches- that’s thirteen for the season.

Whitstable Town got back to winning ways last time out after two crushing defeats, but visitors Corinthian took only three minutes to go ahead at the Belmont, Jack Bath opening the scoring. The hosts were soon level, Kemo Darboe making it six goals in nine matches, and then Harry Goodger’s fourth goal of the season put the Oysterboys ahead. The equaliser arrived in the sixty sixth minute and it went to Josh Stirman, and both sides had to be content with a point.

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