Rams and Millers both win- and the Bears shock the Brickies

Our top two, separated by two points at kick off, both found themselves on the road.

Leaders Ramsgate, with one defeat in ten- and indeed only three all season- headed to Mid Sussex to take on Burgess Hill Town. The Hillians had rather fallen on their face lately, taking only one point from their previous six matches, but it took the Rams half an hour to go ahead, and it was a penalty, Joe Taylor making the breakthrough from the spot- his FORTIETH goal of the season! The Rams added a second just before half time, TJ Jadama scoring five minutes into added time, but they were put under pressure when Hill got one back just after the hour, Dan Perry proving the hitman once more. Sadly for the home fans amongst the six hundred and twenty watching on, that was that- the Rams holding onto their lead, and their two point lead at the top.

Image from Chris Neal shows a Taylor celebration- perhaps a little more low key than the striker deserves after such a milestone!

Cray Valley PM were taking a trip to the Isle of Sheppey, the Ites of Sheppey United their hosts. The Millers expected to need victory to keep pace with leaders Ramsgate, whilst United had slipped to eighth, ten points away from a top five spot albeit with three games in hand over fifth place Chichester City, and after losing their last two- and indeed taking only three wins from ten- were desperate to turn around their form and mount a challenge. The opening goal took until the first minute of the second half to arrive, and it went to the visitors, Sonny Black opening the scoring, and Black doubled the Millers advantage sixteen minutes from time. That was that- and they remain two points behind the Rams, whilst doing a double over their opponents.

Third place Sittingbourne were top of our ten match form table after nine wins and only one defeat from ten matches. The Brickes were back on their own patch, as thirteenth place Broadbridge Heath made the journey to Woodstock Park. The travelling Bears hadn’t been all that good at travelling this season, losing nine of their fifteen matches on the road, but by the same token each of the Brickies four defeats had come on their own ground, so read into that what you will! It seems the Bears had read opportunity into it, as they took the lead just before the break, the impressive Tadley Bromage up from the back to score for the eighth time this season. That turned out to be the only goal of the game, a massive win for the visitors, who are twelfth- and take their unbeaten run to four.

With two points between fourth place Lancing and seventh place Herne Bay at kick off, the Lancers had little room for manoeuvre, and with only one win from their previous five probably need to rediscover that winning feeling sooner rather than later. The Lancers welcomed an Erith and Belvedere side who had won only one of their last seven and started the day four points from safety, and the hosts finally made the breakthrough five minutes before the break- Lukas Franzen-Jones twenty first of the season- and once they had one they found it easier to get another, Ben Pope scoring deep in first half added time. Seven minutes into the second half it was three-nil, Franzen-Jones once more, but the Deres gave themselves hope by getting a goal back on sixty six minutes, Obed Yeboah with the strike. Hope was all they got, however, as the Lancers held on for the points- and opened up a six point gap over sixth place Three Bridges whilst completing a Deres double.

Fifth place Chichester City were doing something rather unusual this weekend, heading WEST along the A27 to take on Horndean, after a pitch inspection proved successful. City had gone five matches without conceding a goal, winning the last four of them whilst scoring ten of their own, and were looking for some revenge after the Deans defeated them at Oaklands Park. The visitors went ahead on eighteen minutes, Josh Clack opening the scoring from the spot- and it was a double boost for City, as the Deans also saw Cade Dyer sent off. The visitors made it two in added time at the end of the first half, Jimmy Wild doubling their advantage, and at the end of the second half Ethan Pritchard confirmed three points with a third goal. The gap between City and sixth place is now four points.

Three Bridges, in sixth place at kick off and two points away from a play off spot, made the long trip to Kent to take on Hythe Town. Bridges look to have rediscovered their mojo and made the trip with a five match unbeaten run under their belts, whilst Hythe’s unbeaten run was unexpectedly ended when they were thrashed four-nil on their own patch by Horndean last weekend. The Cannons started the day eleven points from a top five spot with six games in hand, and needed to begin turning those games in hand into points- but it was Bridges who made the breakthrough, Nabeel Ghannam opening the scoring midway through the first half. It looked as if Bridges had the points wrapped up, but three minutes from time a Frannie Collins spot kick earned the hosts a point. Bridges remain sixth but are now four points behind Chichester City, the Cannons in ninth.

Herne Bay were on the road to Merstham. Bay started the day two points away from a top five spot but had gone three games without a win, and they didn’t look able to allow that run to continue, so tight is the play off battle- but they had a terrible start. The Moatsiders opened the scoring after just two minutes, Harry Pointing with the opener, and the home fans were even more delighted when Lorenzo Lewis made it two just seven minutes later. The visitors had hope when Vance Bola got one back four minutes into the second half- adding to the eleven he got for Ashford United, the last of them also coming against the Moatsiders who must be sick of the sight of him! They were certainly feeling that way when he got the equaliser with seven minutes to go, and both sides had to settle for a point.

Sevenoaks Town, victors in a seven goal thriller at Sheppey United last weekend, have perhaps left a play off push too late, given they were eleven points away from fifth place at kick off with only one game in hand. They were hopeful for three more points as bottom side Beckenham Town came to call, but they went behind on twenty eight minutes, Steven Townsend with his fourth in five games giving Becks the lead. Oaks levelled with twenty three minutes left, Kieron Cadogan with the equaliser, and that turned out to be that. Becks are nine points from safety with ten games left.

Ashford United have this week announced that they will have new owners by the summer, but the Nuts and Bolts, who started the weekend in eleventh place, wanted three new points in the meantime, as Littlehampton Town came to call. With two wins from ten, and seven defeats- including the last two- this has been a rather mediocre campaign from the home side, but they went ahead on twenty one minutes, Robbie Rees with the opener, and that turned out to be the only goal of the game.

Finally, Phoenix Sports welcomed East Grinstead Town. Sports started the weekend four points clear of the drop zone, the Wasps three points further up, so this match was important for both sides, but it turned out that the tension of the day perhaps prevented any goals! Sports increased that gap over the bottom two to five points, however, and its eight for the Wasps.

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