No change in the top five- so Billericay miss out

It’s was last Saturday of the regular season, and our focus was on events at New Lodge, the Camping World Community Stadium and the Maurice Rebak Stadium, where three sets of hosts searched for three vital points.

Sixth place Billericay Town knew that their fate was out of their hands, but they did what they had to do, defeating Margate five-three. They were four-nil up at half time, Alfie Cerulli, Ollie Peters, Richard Asamoah and Bradley Stevenson with the goals, and Stevenson added a fifth- his twenty sixth of the season- on the hour. At that point relegated Margate decided to show some fight, and Mo Kamara, Ben Greenhalgh and- two minutes into added time- Vinnie Bowman pulled three goals back, but in the end the result did neither side much good. The Blues ended the season in sixth place, to the disappointment of the majority of the one thousand, four hundred and four watching on, their hopes of a play off spot dashed by victories for Wingate and Horsham.

Wingate and Finchley’s fine season continued as they got the victory they needed to confirm their play off qualification. They calmed any nerves by going ahead on tow minutes, Elliot Long’s twenty first of the campaign- and they added another at the mid point of the first half, Anointed Chukwu giving them some breathing space. A third goal from Long, just before the hour, secured fourth place and a trip to face North London neighbours Enfield Town.

Horsham welcomed relegated Concord Rangers looking for a single point, and picked up three. The Hornets had stuttered a little of late, perhaps unsurprisingly given their schedule, with three wins and three defeats from their previous six matches, but two first half goals gave them some early comfort. Jack Mazzone and Jack Brivio ensured a midweek trip to Chatham Town- and the Hornets know the way, as they defeated the Chats at the Bauvill just a week ago.

Fifth bottom Cheshunt travelled to Hashtag United, the Tags saying an emotional goodbye to the Len Salmon prior to their move to Aveley next season. The Ambers just needed to avoid a rather unlikely hammering to retain their Premier Division status, and they did just that, playing a big part in an entertaining three-three draw. Cheshunt went two goals up, Jamie Reynolds on nine minutes and Taylor Miles on thirty four leaving them seemingly comfortable, but they were soon less comfortable when Alex Teniola got a goal back. Alfie Pendlebury restored that two goal advantage for the visitors in the early stages of the second half, but Teniola once more gave the Tags hope just after the hour. With three points seemingly heading back to North London, Luke May-Parrott grabbed an equaliser for the Tags in added time.

Cheshunt’s neighbours Enfield Town had a rather different scenario for their last game of the season. The Towners knew that they had qualified for the Play Offs, but they faced the side two points above them, Chatham Town, looking to take second place from their visitors. The Towners went ahead on thirteen minutes through Oliver Knight, only for Kareem Isiaka’s seventeenth goal of the season to send the Chats in level at half time. Knight restored home advantage in the early stages of the second half, but an own goal twenty three minutes from time ensured it was the Kent side who took that second place, and a home Semi-Final against Horsham. The Towners will welcome Wingate and Finchley.

One thousand and sixty five filled the Dave Bryant Stadium, and they’ll have left fairly content.

Champions Hornchurch picked up the trophy after their match with bottom side Kingstonian, and they also reached a one hundred point milestone, coming from behind to defeat the K’s. Eddie Dsane has been the brightest star in a very dark sky for the K’s, and he got his twenty fourth goal of the season after just three minutes, but the Urchins took only seven minutes to level, Mauro Da Silva Vilhete with the equaliser, and they got the winner eight minutes into the second half, Liam Nash with his twenty third of a brilliant campaign. Goodbye Urchins, and in the nicest possible way, don’t hurry back!

One thousand, one hundred and fifty two enjoyed the celebrations.

Bognor Regis Town were looking to end the season with a third win in a row as they welcomed Folkestone Invicta, and they did just that, hitting the stripes for four. Jasper Mather was the star, with a hat trick, and Oliver Downs added the fourth fourteen minutes from time, although Invicta didn’t help themselves by having Will Moses dismissed on the hour, when they were already two down. Nine hundred and sixty nine turned out to watch.

Relegated Haringey Borough welcomed a Lewes side who had won their previous four, and the Rooks made it five in style, setting themselves up for next month’s trip to Italy in the Fenix Trophy by hitting four at Coles Park. Chris Whelpdale and Ola Ogunwamide made it two-nil at the break, Whelpdale and Marcus Sablier added two more in the second half.

Dulwich Hamlet welcomed three thousand, three hundred and thirty four supporters to Champion Hill as they played host to Cray Wanderers- and they witnessed an eight goal thriller, although most of them won’t have been all that thrilled! Wands had won only one of their previous ten, but they got back to form in a big way, hitting Hamlet for six! Anthony Cook opened the scoring from the spot for the visitors on twenty one minutes, and Gary Lockyer added a second ten minutes later. It was to prove a fabulous afternoon for Lockyer, who was to add three more in the second half, and Roarie Deacon’s forty first minute goal for the hosts and Kayla Hansson’s effort four minutes from time didn’t make a great deal of difference, Tom Beere adding a sixth for Wands right at the end to confirm a six-two victory.

Whitehawk made it eight unbeaten as they defeated Potters Bar Town. The Hawks took the lead on eleven minutes, Josh Nandhra with the opener, and six minutes later Kai Jennings made it two. The Scholars got a goal back in the second half, but the hosts held on to go ninth.

Canvey Island and Hastings United ended the season with a goalless draw.

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