New leaders in two Divisions- Tuesday night round up

It was a busy night of Bostik football last night, and results saw change at the top of two of our three divisions, with only Lewes holding on to their crown. Mind you, the Rooks did start the night five points ahead!

In the Premier Division the world turned from green to pink, as Dulwich Hamlet went three points clear at the top of the table. Hamlet, who have recorded seven wins and a draw from their last eight games, last night travelled to the Specsavers Stadium to take on a Merstham side who recorded a four goal margin of victory at the weekend. There was another four goal margin last night, but this time it went against the Moatsiders as Gavin Rose's men scored two in each half. Just to add to the symmetry, two players scored two goals each, and they even managed to score them in order- Ferguson, Allasani, Ferguson, Allasani!

Hendon drop to second and Billericay Town are third, neither having a game last night. Town are ominously six points behind with five games in hand so will still be favourites, and it's perhaps a little early to talk about fixture congestion, but Hamlet will undoubtedly remember the period when Bognor Regis Town were forced to play three matches a week to catch up with Hampton and Richmond Borough two seasons ago- and remember how that ended.

Elsewhere in the top tier, Enfield Town pulled off a great escape at the Queen Elizabeth Stadium. After falling two goals behind by the interval to Leiston, they managed a stirring second half comeback which saw them grab an equaliser right at the death, Taylor McKenzie with the goal. Metropolitan Police continued their recent fine form, defeating Burgess Hill Town two-nil at Imber Court, whilst in South London Tooting & Mitcham United's recent winning streak came to an end when Folkestone Invicta came to call. The Terrors missed a first half penalty before a second half Callum Davies goal sent the three points- and Ari the Great Dane- back to the Kent coast happy.

Met Police break into the playoff places in fifth, whilst Invicta are up to seventh. The Premier Division now has no more fixtures until next Tuesday- it's an FA Trophy weekend.

In the North Division two of the promotion contenders went head to head, and only one of the two unbeaten sides remain unbeaten. AFC Hornchurch crashed to their first league defeat of the season as Dereham Town leapfrogged Canvey Island to go top of the pile. The Magpies went ahead in the nineteenth minute through Ryan Crisp, and no matter what pressure the Urchins could exert there was no way through.

The final unbeaten record will be tested tonight, as Haringey Borough travel to Parkside to face Grays Athletic.

In last nights other fixtures, Barking came from behind to record a spirited victory over Aveley- a victory which sends them above the Millers into eighteenth place, whilst Cheshunt and Mildenhall Town participated in a five goal thriller that saw the home side come from being two-one behind at half time to record a victory. They went one better at Ware, six goals being scored, but this time it was the home side who fell to defeat, four of the six being hammered home by Bowers & Pitsea. By the way, the six goals at Wodson Park had six different scorers, too.

Witham Town fell below Cheshunt into 22nd place, a late Sam Ashford goal not enough to earn a point as Hertford Town left with a three-two victory. Town move up into seventh.

There were four matches in the South Division, and perhaps the most significant was in Kent, where Sittingbourne had the chance to close the gap on Lewes as they faced a difficult match with Cray Wanderers. It turned out to be as hard fought as we might have imagined, with both sides failing to break the deadlock and both ending with ten men, Chris Elliott and Aaron Rhule being sent off right at the end. Sittingbourne stay in second place, whilst Wanderers remain fifth.

Thamesmead Town executed a perfect smash and grab at the Pilot Field as Hastings United, who had held the lead from the forty ninth minute, lost all of the points to two ninetieth minute goals- Paul Vines and Raphael Duyile with the strikes. Phoenix Sports followed up their four goal defeat of Ramsgate at the weekend by winning again, although by only half that margin against visitors Ashford United, whilst in the other match VCD Athletic picked up three vital away points, defeating Ramsgate by a solitary goal.