Mackerel Men march on, but Stortford take top billing with five

When you’re bottom of the table the last place you want to travel to is Worthing, and the much-reinforced Leatherhead, after holding the Mackerel Men for twenty four minutes, were then two down by twenty six, Reece Myles-Meekums and Ollie Pearce ready to take advantage of any Tanners defensive frailties. That was Pearce’s twenty eighth goal of the season in all competitions, and he had number twenty nine before the break. Goal number four arrived just after the hour, and it went to Danny Barker, and it was a long way back up the A24 for the visitors.

Nearly thirteen hundred watched on, and Worthing remain seven points clear. Image from Marcus Hoare.

Lewes took only three minutes to take the lead against Merstham at the Dripping Pan. The Rooks looked very good in victory at Enfield Town last time out, and started like they finished, Ollie Tanner putting them ahead with his twelfth of the season, and doubled the lead as we approached half time, Joe Taylor continuing to do what Joe Taylor has been doing for years. He did it again, albeit from the spot, on sixty three minutes

Eight hundred and seventy nine watched on, and they watched the Rooks climb to second place.

Haringey Borough and Enfield Town cancelled each other out at Coles Park. The fans were noisy, but they were given nothing to celebrate but their own volume as the Towners end the day in third.

Bishop's Stortford lost their long, long unbeaten record last time out, but would have been hopeful in starting another run as Brightlingsea Regent came to call. Regent had seen two positive performances followed by three defeats, and at fourth bottom very much needed some points, but the visitors went behind on twenty minutes, Ryan Charles with his seventh of the campaign. Darren Foxley had gone six without a goal but that run ended as he got number two not long after the half hour, and the game was firmly put to bed when Chris Harris made it three-nil with twenty five minutes left. The visitors then had their lights put out when Jimmy Wallace made it four and Jonathan Giles made it five. Stortford are fourth, one of three clubs on forty four points.

Gus Sow’s opener for Kingstonian against Wingate and Finchley was remarkable not because it came after only three minutes, or because it was his fourteenth of the campaign, but because it didn’t come from the spot! Ten of those fourteen were scored from twelve yards, suggesting he has ice in his veins! The visiting Blues won the corresponding match at Summers Lane earlier this season despite the customary Sow penalty, but it looked a long way back in this one when Rhys Murrell-Williamson made it two-nil just before the break. It was, and the K’s break the top five.

Margate welcomed Hornchurch and their returning hero Nathan Bertram-Cooper, and he was heroic once more when giving the Urchins the lead just before the hour. That opened the floodgates, Charlie Ruff getting number two and Tobi Joseph number three, the Urchins up to seventh- only three points off the top five.

Bowers & Pitsea and Carshalton Athletic went sixty nine minutes without a goal, but on seventy minutes the deadlock was broken, Tommy Bradford’s first of the season putting the Robins ahead. That was that, and the Robins end the day in eighth.

Cray Wanderers Jamie Yila has been one of the success stories of a stop-start season so far, and he put them ahead against Corinthian-Casuals, his eighth of the campaign, just before the break- only to see Oliver Sitch equalise for the visitors just before the half time whistle. Just when it looked like they’d have to share the points, Sitch popped up with the winner for the visitors two minutes from time.

Bognor Regis Town got back to winning ways against Cray Wanderers in midweek, and the Rocks welcomed Sussex rivals Horsham- and a crowd of nine hundred and sixty- to the Nye Camp looking to kick on from there. They opened the scoring on twenty seven minutes, Ethan Robb with the goal, but were pegged back eleven minutes after the break, Tom Kavanagh delighting the Lardy Army from the spot. The next goal was all-important, and it went to the Rocks, Jordy Mongoy, surely earning them all three points thirteen minutes from time- but no! Tom Richards decided otherwise, drawing the Hornets level once more just before the end. That’s ten draws from twenty two matches for the hosts.

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