Millers hit six, Dockers and Towners hit five and Invicta hit four as derby day rains goals

We had a less-extensive programme of Boxing Day fixtures than planned, with a few of them ending up postponed due to the water that has been falling constantly from the sky since November. But what we had provided plenty of entertainment.

Premier Division

We started the day with a Kent seaside derby. Our leaders Folkestone Invicta took to the field for the first time in twelve days as they entertained Margate, and looked to get back to winning ways after Bowers & Pitsea ended their six match unbeaten run last time out. Invicta were level on points with second placed Worthing, and needed a positive result to ensure they remained at the summit- and they certainly got one, as the visitors were swept aside after a goalless first half. Ira Jackson got their first and last goals, whilst Johan Ter Horst got the second and new signing Chinedu McKenzie got the third.

Arguably the biggest match of the day came at Woodside Road, where the Mackerel Men took on the Hornets in an A24 Sussex derby- second v third. Worthing hadn’t lost in the league since October 5th, form which has seen them climb up to second place, and that attracted nine hundred and thirty seven supporters to brave the weather and arrive at Woodside Road. We had a goalless first half, but only the hosts ended it with a full complement of players, former Worthing man Harvey Sparks being dismissed for the Hornets. Worthing soon made their man advantage count, Alex Parsons putting them ahead four minutes after the restart, and they held on to double their advantage five minutes from time, Ollie Pearce surely making the points secure shortly after the Hornets were reduced to nine, Ben Dyett joining Sparks in the dressing room. There was still time for Worthing to get a third, and it was Pearce once more who found the net as they remained behind Invicta only on goal difference.

Cray Wanderers, who lost to the Mackerel Men in the Velocity Trophy at the weekend, knew that they had the chance to climb to fourth with victory as they entertained Leatherhead. After a goalless first half, however, it was the visitors who got their noses in front, Callum Driver putting them ahead- and that turned out to be the only goal of the game.

Finally, we had a North London derby, as Haringey Borough travelled down Donkey Lane to face Enfield Town. Neither side came into the match in good form, Town taking only one point from their last twelve whilst their visitors had two, both going four matches without a win- and it was the hosts who made the breakthrough, Ryan Blackman finding a way through the Borough defence in the sixteenth minute. They couldn’t hold onto their lead, Chid Onokwai equalising from the spot only six minutes later, but were in front once more just before the break, Muhammadu Faal doing what he does best.

Borough didn’t give up and were level once more just after the interval, Danilt Akindayini with the equaliser, but once again the Towners got themselves back in front, new signing Lyle Della-Verde making it three-two. Could they hold onto it this time?

They couldn’t. Only eight minutes later in this topsy-turvy match Chid Onokwai got his second of the match to draw Borough level once more, but once more the Towners weren’t done, and Faal restored their lead only three minutes later with his second of the game. There was still time for Billy Bricknell to make it five right at the death.

North Division

North Division leaders Maldon & Tiptree started the day with a three point advantage over second placed Aveley- and three matches in hand, not having played since December 14th. They undoubtedly had revenge on their minds as neighbours Heybridge Swifts arrived at Park Drive for the first time in the league since that Playoff Final defeat at the end of last season- but the visitors weren’t playing ball and took the lead eleven minutes before the break, Odei Martin-Sorondo opening the scoring. The Jammers were still unbeaten in the league, and the idea that their biggest rivals were going to remove that record must have tortured the home faithful until fifteen minutes from time, when Charlee Hughes got an equaliser. It then got even better for the hosts, as Hamza Kaid gave them all three points with a last minute winner!

The Millers ‘travelled’ to their own ground to face their tenants, Grays Athletic. Aveley had only one defeat from ten league matches- and that didn’t include a run of exceptional cup victories- whilst Athletic were unbeaten in three and would have overtaken their landlords with victory. The Millers were quickly out of the traps and took the lead before a quarter of an hour had been played, George Sykes with the early strike. Seven minutes later it was two, Shad Ngandu firing home, and in the second half the ‘away’ side ran riot, Ngandu racing to his hat trick and Alex Akrofi adding another to make five. Tony Martin added a sixth, and although Joao Carlos got one back for Grays just before the end it won’t have been much of a consolation.

Bury Town hadn’t managed a match since December 7th as they welcomed Soham Town Rangers to Ram Meadow. A Cemal Ramadan penalty gave them the lead, and Rangers were soon down to ten men as Lloyd Groves was dismissed. Despite that the visitors drew level, Sam Mulready scoring just before the break- and it looked as if the match was going to end in a draw until six minutes from the end, when Jake Chambers Shaw got what proved to be the winner. Bury remain third, four points off the summit.

Tilbury and Canvey Island had both exhibited decent form of late, and an enthralling match between the two at Chadfields saw eight goals. The hosts got five of them, including a hat trick from the impossibly tall Brian Moses and one each from Ola Ogunwamide and David Knight, whilst Canvey’s three came from Jason Hallett, Kane Gilbert and Sam Bantick.

Histon had crept almost unnoticed into seventh place, only six points from the top- and knew that they could climb into the top five with victory over their tenants, Cambridge City. They left it rather late, but Max York made all the difference, securing three points with a goal one minute from time- the only goal of the game. They climb to fourth.

Hullbridge Sports got back into action after sixteen days without a game, and would have hoped to continue the form they showed last time out- when they scored four in victory at Brentwood Town- as they welcomed Great Wakering Rovers. It didn’t start particularly well for the hosts, Jake Gordon opening the scoring for the visitors midway through the first half, and it got worse two minutes before the break when Martin Tuohy got Rovers second. Sports struck back within eleven minutes of the restart through Callum Fitzer, but they couldn’t find an equaliser and Jack Stevenson made it safe for the visitors five minutes from time. There was still time for Rovers to get a fourth, Adalberto Pinto with a last minute goal, confirming a result which saw them climb to sixth in the table.

South Central Division

We had only three matches in the South Central. At the Harlow Arena the Hawks were desperate to get back to winning ways after a terrible run which had seen them pick up only two points from their last eighteen. Visitors Barking were also looking to pick themselves up after they were trounced five-nil by Hanwell Town last time out, but they fell behind once more after only nine minutes, Tayo Oyebola firing home for Harlow. The lead lasted only five minutes, however, Abs Seymour with the equaliser, and shortly after the interval the Blues were ahead, Sam Owusu scoring in the fifty first minute. Once more the lead was short lived, Billy Jones equalising for Harlow almost immediately, so we wondered when the next goal would come.

It came to Barking. Ricky Tarbard put the visitors ahead for the second time twenty three minutes from time, and on this occasion they were able to hold on and claim three points, climbing to tenth in the table.

Ninth place Chalfont St Peter travelled to Northwood, and a goal in each half saw them ease to victory. Owen James got the first, and Dan Williams finished the match off just after the hour mark, points which saw the Saints close to within three points of a playoff place.

Eighteenth played bottom as Hertford Town entertained FC Romania. The visiting Wolves arrived at Hertingfordbury Park on the back of five consecutive defeats, whilst Town had followed a two match revival by losing their last three- but it was the hosts who were quickly ahead, Toby Byron opening the scoring after only eight minutes. Town were two up soon afterwards, Alfie Cue adding the second, but they couldn’t get a third and the Wolves hit back after sixty-six minutes, Lawrence Neuruba halving the deficit. Was a comeback on? If it was, it wasn’t helped by what happened next, as FC Romania had a player sent off, Hernany Marques seeing red- but it wasn’t long before Toby Byron suffered the same fate for Town. The hosts held on for victory, and climbed to sixteenth.

South East Division

Fifth place Ashford United travelled to the seaside to face Whitstable Town, who started the day in tenth. The Oysterboys had lost only one of their last five and drew at Ramsgate last time out; whilst the Nuts and Bolts had inflicted a first defeat of the season on Hastings United in their last match on 14th December, and would have hoped to build on that performance in the knowledge that another win could take them second.

They didn’t quite manage to get second place, Cray Valley PM holding onto that on goal difference, but they did manage to earn a victory. Josh Wisson gave them a first half lead, and although Harry Stannard managed to grab an equaliser seven minutes after the break Lee Prescott restored the visitors lead only five minutes later- and this time they were able to hold onto it.

The other matches scheduled were postponed.