Last-gasp goal thwarts Chatham’s top spot hopes

A win at Sheppey United last night would have taken Chatham Town top of the table, and with three minutes to go it looked as if that was a certainty- but it proved otherwise, as the Ites bounced back to share the spoils.

Sheppey went ahead midway through the first half, Rodney Adamon Eruotor scoring from the spot- and the lead was held until just after the hour, when Jack Evans delivered an equaliser. Three minutes from time the visitors looked to have clinched all three points when Callum Peck gave them the lead- but there was still time for a home comeback, and Warren Mfula has been proving for years that his acquaintance with the opposition net is far more than fleeting. His thirteenth of the season delighted the home faithful in the crowd of four hundred and eighty eight- whilst leaving Town two points off the top, albeit with a game in hand. Sheppey climb to fifteenth.

Whitehawk are three points behind the leaders with a game in hand after thumping VCD Athletic four-nil at the Enclosed Ground. The Hawks, unbeaten in the league this season, have seen their progress slowed a little by the fact they had drawn half their matches prior to this one- but there was no danger of a draw last night.

Vickers did themselves no favours early on, Jack Holland dismissed, and the ten men had to watch as Joe Shelley converted an immediate penalty. There were no further goals until Rob O’Toole doubled home advantage five minutes after the break, and twenty three minutes later Nathan Cooper added a third. Kai Brown weighed in with the fourth, and as well as being our only unbeaten side Hawks have the best defensive record in the Division. That was their sixth clean sheet.

On October 19th, Sevenoaks Town lost at home to local rivals Corinthian and sat third from bottom. Less than three weeks later and Harry Hudson’s side are- rather remarkably- in fifth place, moving into the top five after coming from behind at Faversham Town to claim victory. It started rather badly for Oaks, Destiny Oladipo opening the scoring for the Lilywhites after just three minutes, but they equalised with twenty five minutes left through Solomon Baugh, and they twelve minutes from time Ryan Gondoh’s ninth of the season earned them three points. Both scorers emerged from the bench.

That’s thirteen points from fifteen for Oaks, and that Corinthian defeat a distant memory.

In the Velocity Cup, Margate made the long rain-lashed trek to Chichester City, and had a more pleasant if not much less damp journey home after Montrel Deslandes got the only goal of the game with fourteen minutes remaining to give them victory- and a home tie with Folkestone Invicta.

Follow the Pitching In Isthmian League on Instagram. Head here or search for theisthmianleague on your app. We're also on Facebook and Twitter.