Nine points with nine left- advantage Hastings

Our leaders, Hastings United, travelled along the A27 to Chichester City with a six point lead, and new signing Danny Parish opened the scoring from the spot on fifty three minutes. As we expected, City didn’t roll over, and it took until the very last minute for United to confirm victory, James Hull with the second. By that point the visitors were down to ten men, Sam Hasler seeing red sixteen minutes from the end- but the end the day nine points clear.

Image from Neil Holmes, see the rest of his shots here.

Our big match was between Ashford United and Cray Valley PM, in third and second. After a goalless first half the Nuts and Bolts got themselves in front nine minutes after the break through Luke Burdon, but were ahead for only three minutes before Ade Adeyemo equalised for the Millers. United then turned on the style, and Francis Collin restored home advantage thirteen minutes from time before Gary Lockyer made sure with a third, three minutes from time.

Ramsgate travelled to Phoenix Sports, and blunted the hosts great escape. Jamie Coyle put the Rams ahead ten minutes before the break, Oliver Bate made it two three minutes later, and thirteen minutes into the second half Tijan Jadama made it three. Wale Odedoyin got one back for the hosts right at the end, but it was three points to the Rams, who are twelve points off the top but, perhaps more importantly, four points above sixth place Haywards Heath Town.

Herne Bay are up to fifth. Two early goals from Zak Ansah gave them a two goal advantage over Whitehawk, his sixteenth and seventeenth of the season, and although Alex Laing got one back for the visitors with twenty one minutes remaining the points stayed at home.

Haywards Heath Town travelled down to Sittingbourne to take on the Brickies, and their promotion hopes took a stoning as the hosts performed a demolition job. Kane Rowland gave them the lead just before the half hour, and then Johan Caney-Bryan took control, adding two more in a thirteen minute spell just after the break. That was that, and Heath tumble out of the top five, whilst Sittingbourne are three places and six points further back.

Burgess Hill Town are up to seventh, only four points short of the top five. The Hillians got three goals to go with their three points against Hythe Town, Lewis Tayor getting two of them, one in each half, before Hayden Skerry got the third right at the end.

VCD Athletic travelled to East Grinstead Town on the back of two goalless draws, but it seemed they’d been saving up the goals for the Wasps. Courtney Barrington put them ahead after just two minutes, and within ten minutes of the second half it was three, Anthony Adesite and Sonny Black putting the match out of sight. Vickers end the day in eighth.

Three Bridges made Whitstable Town’s survival bid more difficult at the home of the rail replacement bus service. Dan Perry has been in superb form of late, and got his seventeenth of the season on twenty five minutes. Curtis Gayler doubled their advantage four minutes before the break, and it was eighteen for Perry when he got number three nine minutes after half time. Stephen Okoh gave the Oysters hope seventeen minutes before the end, but it was forlorn hope and they stay at the bottom.

Tyrell Richardson-Brown opened the scoring in Faversham Town’s match with Lancing, and he closed the scoring too, as that was the only goal of the game, giving the Lilywhites three points and lifting them to thirteenth.

Finally, a much changed Sevenoaks Town side under new boss Harry Hudson looked to have taken all three points at Corinthian. Lesley Duru’s forty first minute goal gave Oaks the lead, but a late, late equaliser from Jack Mahoney earned a point for the hosts.

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