Millers leave it late- but stay ahead of seven goal Rams

Cray Valley PM looked as if they may be frustrated by Hythe Town at the Artic Stadium, but eventually they came through to take a two-nil victory. A red card for the Cannons Liam Smith on fifty two minutes arrived with the game still goalless, and it remained goalless- with the Millers missing a penalty- until eleven minutes from time, when Danny Waldren decided it was time for him to make a difference. Waldren got the opener, and then, two minutes from time, grabbed a second- the Millers remain one point clear at the top.

Ramsgate got back to winning ways in some style, hammering Lancing on the Kent coast. The Rams, who were defeated by the Lancers in Sussex two months ago, were two goals up within six minutes, TJ Jadama and Joe Taylor opening the scoring, but the Lancers were soon back in the contest, Lukas Franzen-Jones reducing the arrears on eleven minutes. Before a quarter of an hour had passed we had a fourth goal, Jadama making it three-one, but again the visitors reduced the margin, Ben Pope making it three-two at half time- although Taylor had showed he was human, or perhaps merciful, by missing a penalty. The second half, however, saw one way traffic.

Taylor’s forty second goal of the season made it four-two seven minutes after half time, and Lee Martin soon added the fifth. Taylor completed a hat trick- goal FORTY THREE- from the spot with sixteen minutes remaining, and deep in added time Joe Turner made it SEVEN-two. The Rams remain a point behind Cray Valley, whilst Lancing slip to fifth.

Beckenham Town gave their survival hopes a big boost with victory at Hythe Town in midweek, and the Becks hoped to use that as inspiration as they welcomed promotion chasing Sittingbourne. It was the Brickies who took the lead on twenty three minutes, Mitchell May with the goal, but Louie Theophanous levelled just before half time and the hosts went ahead on fifty seven minutes, Finlay Roberts making it two-one. The lead was held for only two minutes before Donvieve Jones brought Sittingbourne level, and the winner arrived thirteen minutes from time, Danny Parish the hero for the visitors. Sittingbourne are third, thirteen points behind the leaders but eleven above sixth place, whilst their hosts remain six points from safety.

Chichester City welcomed Sheppey United. Chi had opened up a four point gap between themselves and sixth place and wanted to at least sustain that, and they managed just that, moving up to fourth as a consequence. Jimmy Wild, so often their hero of late, fulfilled the same role once more, scoring both goals- an opener on nineteen minutes and a second eleven minutes from time. That’s nine unbeaten for City- and an even more impressive seven matches without conceding a goal!

Three Bridges are three points behind fifth place Lancing with a game in hand, after winning a five goal thriller against Ashford United. Noel Leighton was Bridges hero once more, delivering a hat trick on nineteen, twenty nine and forty eight minutes, with Ian Draycott and Max Walsh giving the Nuts and Bolts hope in added time at the end of the first half and twelve minutes from time. That’s twenty nine goals- and three match balls- for Leighton this season.

Herne Bay hoped to close in on a top five spot by defeating Sevenoaks Town, but instead they dropped to six points away from the play off places. Solomon Baugh opened the scoring for Oaks eleven minutes before the break, only for Gil Carvalho to quickly equalise- but a red card for Frankie Smith eleven minutes from time turned the match the way of the visitors. Karn Miller-Neave got what proved to be the winner seven minutes from time.

Broadbridge Heath have been in magnificent form, and the Bears moved into the top ten with victory over Phoenix Sports. Ryan Brackpool put them ahead after fourteen minutes, and it was a lead they quickly doubled, Louis Evans making it two. Tashie-Jay Kwayie, on from the bench for a debut, got a goal back for the visitors just after the hour, but any hopes they had of what would have been a valuable point departed deep in added time, when Sam Lemon added a third. That’s six unbeaten- with five wins- for the Bears, one win in ten for their visitors.

Erith & Belvedere were trying to kick start their hopes of survival by defeating Horndean, but despite going ahead just before the break they ended up with nothing. Macey Maldon got that opening goal, but on sixty six minutes Harry Jackson levelled and twelve minutes later Freddie Chester got what proved to be the Deans winner. That’s three wins from four for the visitors, five defeats from six for their hosts, who remain five points from safety.

East Grinstead Town hosted a Sussex derby against Burgess Hill Town, the Wasps hoping to widen the eight point gap between themselves and the bottom two- but as it turned out they were on the receiving end of a large dose of insecticide. Hill went ahead on thirty three minutes, Dan Perry doing what he does best, and within nine minutes the visitors were three up, as Martyn Box and Perry once more ensured the match was as good as won by half time. Reece Hallard made it four nine minutes after the break, and although Olu Onabanjo quickly got one back for the hosts, Hill added a fifth deep in added time, Conrad Honore rounding things off.

Image from Chris Neal.

Littlehampton Town had gone six matches without a win and had lost their previous four, but the Golds got back to winning ways against Merstham. All the goals arrived in the first thirty three minutes, George Gaskin getting the opener after just nine, Dave Herbert making it two just before the half hour, and Ben Senior pulling a goal back for the Moatsiders twelve minutes before the break. That was that, and the three points sees the goals open up a nine point gap between themselves and the drop zone.

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