Nearly but not quite for Invicta and Casuals- whilst the Moatsiders run riot (again), Geordies end Marlow’s run, and Heath go back to the top

Emirates FA Cup

Folkestone Invicta managed five goals against National League Eastleigh over two matches, and forced them to play for two hundred and ten minutes, but ultimately fell just short in a thrilling encounter at the BuildKent Stadium last night.

Two-nil down on sixty minutes, and reduced to ten men following a red card for Josh Vincent, Invicta launched a comeback- roared on by a crowd of one thousand, two hundred and thirty seven- and levelled the tie as Adam Yusuff and Scott Heard made light of numerical disadvantage to take the tie into extra time. Sadly the fifth goal of the night went to the visitors, six minutes from time, and on this occasion there was no comeback. Image of the crowd behind the goal courtesy of the club.

Corinthian-Casuals got even closer to glory. They travelled to St Albans City after Saturday’s draw and a Benjamin Checklit equaliser meant it was one-one at full time. It was still one-one at the end of extra time, and off we went to penalties- and only now did the home side manage to triumph, winning the shootout four-two.

Pitching In Isthmian Premier

We had three matches in the Premier Division tonight, and two involved our cup heroes from Saturday- but neither managed to be League heroes on Tuesday night; indeed on both occasions the plaudits went to the opposition.

Bowers and Pitsea magnificently dumped National League Aldershot Town out of the FA Cup at the weekend, and went into last night’s match at Merstham with only one defeat in ten across all competitions. That run came to a crashing end at the Whisky Bible Stadium last night, as Merstham followed up their five goal thrashing of Haringey Borough on Saturday by hitting Rob Small’s men for four. The hero of the night was undoubtedly Korrey Henry, who scored one goal just before the break and two more within sixteen minutes of the restart to make it four goals from his four matches so far. Tahjae Anderson got the other goal- Merstham’s second- four minutes into the second half. Merstham are up to thirteenth, with five wins, six defeats and nothing in the D column- the only club in the Division yet to record a single draw. Image- Alex Broadway.

Horsham have been quite magnificent in the cup, defeating Woking from the National League and Eastbourne Borough from National League South- as well as then Premier Division leaders Kingstonian- on the way to the First Round. The Hornets have been an entirely different side in the league, however, and so it proved once more as Cheshunt came to call last night- the Ambers climbing to eighth with victory. Both goals came after the break, Reece Beckles Richards opening the scoring just after the hour with substitute Nordibek Bobomurodov making sure of the points eight minutes from time. The Hornets remain second from bottom.

Bishop’s Stortford are just above Cheshunt on goal difference- and just behind Folkestone Invicta using the same measure- in seventh place, following last night’s win at East Thurrock United.

It was the hosts who started the better, Johnny Ashman putting them ahead after twelve minutes with his fifth of the campaign- but the visiting Blues were level on the half hour, Ryan Charles with the equaliser, and snatched all three points two minutes from time, Frankie Merrifield with the winning goal for the second match in a row.

Pitching In Isthmian North

Another of our cup heroes from the weekend, AFC Sudbury, were at home once more as they hosted Great Wakering Rovers- and it looked for a while as if they were also suffering from a cup hangover. After Cruis Nyadzayo gave them an early lead Rovers hit back with two, Charlie Morris and an own goal putting them ahead- and they held onto that lead until fourteen minutes from time, when suddenly the yellows found their form once more, with three goals in five minutes. Jake Turner equalised, and then Jake Clowsley, on as a substitute, got two to seal victory and see them climb to fourth, behind third place Grays Athletic only on goal difference.

Turner picked up the Man of the Match Award- photo, we suspect, from Steve Screech.

Barking and Witham Town have gone rather off the boil of late, but neither quite managed to turn the heating back up at Mayesbrook Park, having to settle for a point each. Osaretin Otete put the hosts ahead after twenty one minutes, Suaibo Balde equalised for the visitors from the spot on the hour mark, and that was that. Barking are seventh, Town thirteenth.

South Central Division

Marlow would have gone top of the table with just a point against Hanwell Town- but in the end they got nothing at all, losing a league match for the first time this season. The match had a stormy start, with two players sent off on six minutes- Georges Ehui for Marlow, Ogo Obi for the Geordies- and its only goal came on thirty two minutes, Harry Rush grabbing it for Town.

We now have three clubs on nineteen points separated by only goal difference- Uxbridge, Marlow and Bracknell Town- and three more on sixteen points separated the same way; Binfield, Hanwell Town and Basingstoke Town, who once again had that man Conor Lynch to thank for three points as he got the only goal of the game at Northwood. That’s twelve goals in eleven games for him.

Four points behind the top six- but with two games in hand over the top five- sit Chertsey Town, the Curfews bouncing back from cup defeat at Southend United with three points at Ashford Town. Lewis Jackson put them ahead after only eight minutes, only for Aaron McLeish-White to equalise for the Tangerines twelve minutes later. The third and final goal of the match came nineteen minutes from time, and the ever-reliable Jake Baxter popped up to score it- his sixth of the season.

South Park moved up to tenth place with a six-nil thrashing of Sutton Common Rovers last Tuesday night, and moved up another place last night after defeating Tooting & Mitcham United two-nil. Both goals came in a four minute period of the second half, Adam Aziz opening the scoring on fifty nine minutes and Melford Simpson finishing it on sixty three. The Terrors remain twelfth, rather surprisingly much nearer the bottom than the top- but lest we forget, it is only October.

Pitching In Isthmian South East

Haywards Heath Town reclaimed their place at the top of the table as they scored the only goal of the match against Chichester City at Hanbury Park. It came on the half hour, and it went to former City man Josh Clack, sending them two points clear. As you can see from our headline image, Heath Manager Shaun Saunders was presented with his Vita Risk Solutions Manager of the Month Award for August by Isthmian Chair Nick Robinson- perhaps proving that the best way to avoid the Manager of the Month curse is to have the award presented a month in arrears!

A win for Sittingbourne over Whitstable Town left them just outside the top five on goal difference- and it came courtesy of a goal in added time at the end of a five-goal thriller! An own goal saw the visitors take the lead on twenty seven minutes, only for a double from Johan Caney-Bryan to put the Brickies ahead before the break and take him to eight for the season. When Danny Walder drew the Oysterboys level thirteen minutes from time it looked as if they’d have to be content with a point each- but that was before Kane Rowland stepped up to grab the winner and surf Blakey’s Garden Shed! Image: Ken Medwyn.

Hastings United’s cup exploits saw them start the day in tenth place, but they ended it in eighth, nine points off the top with three matches in hand. United had won eight matches in a row prior to Saturday’s cup defeat against National League Maidenhead United, and started a new run at Hythe Town, firing home three goals without reply. Sam Hasler got the first from a disputed penalty just before the break, and two goals in two minutes- the seventy eighth and seventy ninth- from Sam Adams and Kenny Pogue made sure of the points. Kenny has now scored in four consecutive matches.

Finally, we had a Sussex derby. Whitehawk, who won their first League match since the end of August when defeating East Grinstead Town on Saturday, hosted Burgess Hill Town, who were at the same time winning their first league match of the season! Well neither managed a goal last night, the Hawks point taking them to fourteenth, whilst the Hillians point lifted them to eighteenth.

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