Rams go four clear

Leaders Ramsgate were unbeaten under new manager Jamie Coyle, but after drawing three of their last five found themselves only two points clear at the top- whilst second place Chatham Town have a game in hand. The Rams were at home to VCD Athletic, Vickers without a manager after Grant Basey’s departure last weekend, and on a run which had seen them go nine matches without a win- so it wasn’t too much of a surprise when the Rams went ahead midway through the first half, Gil Carvalho making the breakthrough. It was two-nil shortly after the break, Rowan Liburd with that one, but the visitors made the closing stages interesting when Tolulope Temitayo got one back with three minutes left. The points, however, stayed at home- the Rams now four clear.

Chatham Town were back at home, a place where they were unbeaten, and they opened the scoring against Sittingbourne on thirteen minutes, Simon Cooper with the goal. One thousand and fifty watched the match, and most of them would have been unhappy when Joe Ellul levelled for the Brickies just before the hour, and both sides had to settle for a point- which sees the Brickies slip back into the bottom four.

Beckenham Town, three points behind the leaders at start of play, faced a tough challenge at Chichester City. Their hosts were seven games unbeaten, a run which had seen them climb to within four points of the top five, and they went ahead on twenty seven minutes through Ryan Davidson. They weren’t ahead for long, Louis Theophanous levelling, but the next blow was delivered by City, who were ahead once more when Ethan Pritchard scored just after the hour. Things got worse for the visitors, Rob Carter dismissed, and the hosts held on to take the points.

Whitehawk, nine points behind the leaders at kick off- albeit with two games in hand- needed to quickly put their Velocity Cup Semi-Final defeat in midweek behind them. The Hawks hosted a contender for match of the day, Sheppey United- the side in eighth- travelling to the East Brighton seaside, and the Hawks were ahead on twenty seven minutes, Rob O’Toole with the opener. The clincher was delivered two minutes from time, Luke Robinson making sure for the Hawks, who remain fourth and increase their unbeaten run to six matches.

Fifth place Ashford United welcomed Littlehampton Town. The Nuts and Bolts have put together a five match unbeaten run, and they went ahead very quickly, Gary Lockyer opening the scoring after just three minutes, before doubling their advantage twenty five minutes later, Cameron Brodie with his first Ashford goal. With twenty minutes left George Gaskin got his side back into the game, scoring for the Golds, but the hosts saw Brodie add another with thirteen minutes left. If they thought that was that, they were wrong, as Lucas Pattenden made the closing stages interesting with six minutes to go, but the hosts held on for victory.

Sevenoaks Town were back at home, and welcomed an improving Faversham Town to Greatness Park. Oaks had lost only two of their last ten but they were quickly behind in this one, Shola Ayoola opening the scoring on nine minutes. Oaks have come from behind to win on a number of occasions, and they equalised five minutes from time, Josh Ogunseye with the goal, before Freddie Parker sent the home crowd into raptures with the winner on eighty nine minutes. Oaks are up to sixth, the Lilywhites thirteen points from safety with nine games left.

Hythe Town have been superb of late. Outside the top five only on goal difference, they welcomed a Three Bridges side who had fewer away points than anyone else in the Division- and whom they defeated in Crawley as recently as January 31st. The Cannons had won their last five matches, keeping three clean sheets and conceding only two goals- and they were ahead six minutes after the restart, Liam Smith opening the scoring, but they couldn’t hold on to take another clean sheet, Kieron Pamment levelling for the visitors two minutes from time. A point each was the outcome.

Cray Valley PM found themselves four points behind fifth place Ashford United at kick off, after a run which had seen them go winless in their last six matches, five of them ending in defeat. They were ahead against Lancing on the half hour, however, Dan Bennett with the opener, but they couldn’t hold onto that lead and the Lancers levelled five minutes into the second half, Marcus Allen making it one-one. The winner arrived two minutes from time, and it went to the hosts, their winless run over as Sonny Black found the back of the Lancing net.

East Grinstead Town and Burgess Hill Town met in a West Sussex derby, Hill’s new boss Matt Longhurst heading back to a club at which he enjoyed great success. He would have been delighted when Martyn Box put the visitors ahead on nine minutes, and happier still when Dan Perry got his twenty third of the season just before the break. Perry made the points secure with a third on fifty six minutes, and the Hitman had a hat trick just after the hour as his side went four-nil up. That was that, and Hill open a two point gap on the bottom four. Image from Chris Neal.

Eighteenth hosted nineteenth as Haywards Heath Town welcomed Corinthian. Heath, with new manager Jay Lovett in the dugout for the first time, started the day a point from safety and without a win from six- and they fell behind on eighteen minutes, Alex Giles scoring for the Hoops. The visitors levelled shortly after the restart, Tom Collins with the equaliser, and Collins had another within three minutes to put his side ahead. Right at the end, however, the visitors hit back to take a point, Oscar Housego with the equaliser. The two sides end the day where they started it.

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