Millers hit the top - and six goals- as the Deans shock the Rams

Leaders Ramsgate made their longest trip of the season as they headed to Horndean- and it would have felt even longer on the way home, as they were leaders no more. The Deans have delivered some fine performances during their inaugural Isthmian season, but perhaps last night capped the lot- and you’ll have been able to hear the cheering in the distant Valley of Cray when Tommy Scutt put them ahead just before the hour. The Rams had half an hour to find an equaliser, and they’ve been good at coming from behind this season, but on this occasion they couldn’t find a way through, and as a consequence find themselves in second place this morning.

Horndean are fourteenth.

Cray Valley PM had a relatively short journey, travelling to take on bottom side Beckenham Town. Becks had star striker Louie Theophanous back in their ranks back in their side for the first time in four months, but it would have taken a herd of rhinoceros to stop the Millers, who were simply sensational, hitting six goals without reply.

It took only two minutes for the home fans to read the writing on the wall, Kyrell Lisbie opening the scoring for the visitors- and it was two-nil on twenty four minutes, Adam Coombes keeping his cool from the spot. Ten minutes before the break Matthew Vigor added a third, and soon there was a fourth, Lisbie again, and that was mercifully that for the first half. If any of the home fans decided to remain in the club bar for the second half, stroking the club cat like an angry (South East London) Ernst Blofeld whilst thinking up diabolical schemes designed to help them retain their step four status, they missed two further goals, Julien Anau and Marcel Barrington with numbers five and six for the visitors.

The Millers return to the summit, opening up a one point lead over Ramsgate- and, thanks to their goal glut, ending the day with a better goal difference than their rivals, too.

Becks find themselves nine points from safety with a game in hand.

Broadbridge Heath, victors over Sittingbourne on Saturday, were back on their own patch. The Bears, four unbeaten- matches from which they had taken ten points- were in the best form of their Isthmian careers as they welcomed Sevenoaks Town looking to add to their tally- and adding to their tally is exactly what they did, in some style.

Jake Lindsey opened the scoring for the hosts on twenty minutes, and it was two-nil just before the half hour mark, Ben Aubrey doubling their advantage. Oaks hit back through Kieron Cadogan, but it was three-one by the break, Tadley Bromage popping up from the back to score his ninth goal of the season- and to score for his third match in a row. On the hour mark the visitors made things interesting, Dominic Morgan Griffiths narrowing the deficit, but deep in added time Mason Doughty added another for the Bears- four-two, five unbeaten, thirteen points from fifteen, and a comfortable twelfth place.

Burgess Hill Town and Ashford United met in Mid Sussex, neither side in the best of form and the visitors under new management. Hill had only defeated the Nuts and Bolts once in eight previous attempts, but they took three points comfortably from the ninth, with three goals. After a goalless first half the opener arrived on fifty minutes, Jay Beckford with his first for the club- and fifteen minutes from time the hosts doubled their advantage through Reece Hallard. The contest effectively ended five minutes from time, as Dan Perry added a third for Hill- his sixteenth of the season.

Elsewhere in Sussex, East Grinstead Town played host to Hythe Town. The Wasps got off to a flyer, Matt Daniel putting them ahead on eight minutes, but before a quarter of an hour had passed the Cannons were level, Aaron Barnes making it one-one. There were only twenty four minutes remaining when the hosts went ahead once more, Kiye Martin scoring from the spot, but that roused the visitors, and Lex Allan popped up from the back to draw his side level with only fifteen minutes left. It was next goal wins, and right at the end that next goal arrived, Troy Howard reigniting the visitors play off charge and lifting them to eighth.

Hythe remain ten points away from a top five spot- but they have five games in hand!

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