New Year's Day Ryman Premier action review

New Year`s Day saw Margate extend their lead at the top of the Ryman Premier table to four points after they eased to a 3-0 win against struggling Lewes, while second-placed Maidstone United were held to a draw at home by Tonbridge Angels, writes Pitchero's Steve Whitney.

A crowd of 618 at Hartsdown Park saw Tom Phipp thunder a shot into the top corner from 15 yards after a scrambled free-kick to give Gate an 18th minute lead. And less than two minutes later Phipp again found the same corner of the net from 25 yards to make it a great start to 2015 for the midfielder.

Sam Rents blasted a free-kick from the edge of the area past Rikki Banks to make it 3-0 and game over just shy of the hour-mark.

A terrific crowd of 2,226 at the Gallagher Stadium saw Maidstone denied a win against Kent rivals Tonbridge.

It was a somewhat quiet derby which was livened up right on the half-time whistle when Ben Greenhalgh gave the Stones the lead. But just when it looked as though that was going to be enough for all three points, defender Sonny Miles put the ball past his own keeper eight minutes from time to salvage a draw for Angels.

Dulwich Hamlet returned to third spot after a comfortable 4-1 win over Leatherhead at Champion Hill.

A good crowd of 1,163 saw Ashley Carew give Hamlet a 19th minute lead that Jerry Nnamani cancelled out eight minutes before the break. Three minutes after the interval Jack Dixon had Dulwich back in front and then Kevin James came off the bench to make it 3-1 with 12 minutes to go and Terrell Forbes added a fourth in stoppage time.

Dulwich moved above Hendon after the Greens were held to a 2-2 draw by landlords Harrow Borough at Earlsmead.

Marc Charles-Smith gave Boro a 39th minute lead from the penalty spot. Elliott Brathwaite equalised seven minutes into the second half, only for Harold Odametey to restore Harrow`s lead on 67 minutes. But Leon Smith grabbed a point for the visitors with seven minutes of normal time remaining.

Hampton & Richmond Borough shared a 2-2 draw with fifth-placed Metropolitan Police after breathless finale at the Beveree.

A sensational second half produced four goals - two of which came in the 90th minute. Kieran Murphy thought he had celebrated his new contract with a fine glancing header to put the Beavers 1-0 up after 64 minutes. It looked like that would be enough - but far from it. A goal from Met Police striker Bradley Hudson-Odoi seemingly rescued a point for Jim Cooper's side on 84 minutes.

But the Met`s Rob Bartley had other ideas, back-heeling in from close range in the last minute. But the crowd of 454 saw another twist as, from a deep cross, Charlie Moone equalised with a far post header to earn Hampton to a deserved point.

Wingate & Finchley moved to within a couple of points of the Met after edging a 1-0 win against Enfield Town at the Harry Abrahams Stadium, Scott Shulton scoring the only goal of the game on the hour-mark.

East Thurrock United, with three games in hand on Wingate, are level on points with them after winning 2-1 against Essex rivals Billericay Town at Rookery Hill.

And they had to come back from being a ninth minute Rowan Liburd goal down to win, thanks to a Sam Higgins penalty after 16 minutes and Simon Peddie`s effort right on the half-time whistle.

Leiston`s push towards the play-off places took a blow when they had to be content with one point from their home game against fifth-bottom Witham Town.

Tom Wraight had the visitors in front after 21 minutes. And they held that until the unfortunate Lewis Godbold put through his own net with 13 minutes remaining.

Bottom-markers Bury Town picked up only their fourth win of the season to date against Canvey Island, for whom it was back-to-back defeats over the festive period.

And one has to feel for the Gulls` debutant Taylor Tombides, whose hat-trick wasn`t enough to prevent his side losing 4-3. The 18-year-old Aussie scored three goals on his first appearance for the club in the 22nd, 32nd and 59th minutes

However, the struggling Blues saw Connor Hall in the second minute and John Sands in the 14th give them the lead before Tombides struck. Hall then levelled with his second, this time from the spot on 75 minutes, and Remi Garrett won it for the visitors five minutes later.

A crowd of 602 saw Bognor Regis Town win the Sussex derby at Nyewood Lane against Peacehaven & Telscombe.

The visitors led too, thanks to a seventh minute Tom Burton effort, but Ollie Pearce equalised in the 23rd minute and James Crane then gave the Rocks the lead right on half-time. Stuart Green made sure with a third for the hosts` in the 86th minute.

AFC Hornchurch moved to within a point of the safety-mark after a 2-0 Essex derby win over Grays Athletic at Bridge Road.

However, it wasn`t until 15 minutes from time that the Urchins breakthrough came, thanks to Junior Luke. And then, four minutes later, George Purcell added a second and match-winning goal.

And second-bottom VCD Athletic picked up a point from a 1-1 home draw with Kingstonian to leave three of the bottom four sides level on twenty-five points – just one behind fifth-bottom Witham.

Dan Sweeney`s goal right on half-time for the K`s looked as though it was going to be enough for all three points. But sub Mohamed Eisa popped up with an 81st minute equaliser for the Vickers.