Rams held- and Millers narrow the gap

Leaders Ramsgate took an eleven point lead into the weekend, and hoped to- at the very least- hold onto that as Sheppey United came to call. The Rams had won nine of their previous ten, whilst the visiting Ites got back to winning ways with a late victory over Littlehampton Town last time out and needed the points themselves as they tried to climb back into the top five. The two sides had already met twice this season in League and Trophy, the Rams winning narrowly by the only goal in their November league encounter, and by four goals to one in October’s Trophy tie, but it turned out that they’d used up all of their goal ration, as neither side managed to score another one. That goalless draw saw the Rams lead cut to nine points, whilst the Ites are sixth, one of three sides on thirty seven points.

Cray Valley PM look to be the Rams main challengers, and went into their match against Ashford United still unbeaten in the league and with three games in hand- although, of course, they had eleven points to make up at kick off. The visiting Nuts and Bolts had lost their last four matches- and they were behind on twenty eight minutes, Adam Coombes converting a spot kick. It was two-nil seven minutes before the break, Lyle Della-Verde with that one, and the Millers held on comfortably to cut the gap at the top to nine points. They have three games in hand, too.

Third place Lancing were on the road to Littlehampton Town in a Sussex derby, and hopefully didn’t spend too long stuck in roadworks near Rustington. The Lancers saw a seven match unbeaten run come to an end when losing narrowly to Cray Valley PM last time out, but had been in fine form hoped to- at the very least- extend the gap between themselves and sixth place. They managed that, but only just- the only goal of the game arriving right at the end, Lukas Franzen-Jones scoring his fourteenth of the season.

Sittingbourne, newly strengthened with the addition of Ashford United striker Danny Parish, were on the road to Herne Bay as fifth welcomed fourth. The Brickies, with two defeats from ten and having won their last two without conceding a goal, went ahead on twenty eight minutes, Bagusan Graham opening the scoring and silencing most of the six hundred and eighty seven watching on. We suspect that the loudest noise were groans on sixty two minutes as Danniel Carrington saw red for the hosts, but they were soon followed by cheers in the away end as Mitchell May converted the spot kick to make it two-nil. The Brickies added a third seven minutes from time, Stefan Illic completing a double for his side over Bay- the hosts drop to seventh.

Three Bridges had dropped to seventh place after a run of four consecutive defeats, and wanted to get back to winning ways and- perhaps- back into the top five by defeating Chichester City at Jubilee Field. They went ahead from the spot on twenty eight minutes, Ibrahim Jalloh’s fifteenth goal in eighteen matches, and Jalloh got another ten minutes after half time. City pulled a goal back, Josh Clack converting a spot kick with nineteen minutes to go, only for Bridges to go up the other end and get a third, Nabeel Ghannam with that one. Right at the end Connor Cody pulled it back to three-two for City, but they didn’t have time to get another, and Bridges did indeed climb back into the top five.

Image from Eva Gilbert.

Sevenoaks Town, welcomed Hythe Town. Oaks had slipped to eight points away from the top five on the back of a run which had brought them one win from eight, whilst the Cannons had only one win from their last four after being a little distracted by their Trophy ambitions, but had as many as six matches in hand over the sides ahead of them, so certainly hadn't given up on their promotion ambitions yet. They hammered Oaks four-nil at Reachfields in October, but this time around neither side could score, a result which left Oaks in tenth and Hythe in twelfth.

Burgess Hill Town are upwardly mobile, with four wins from their previous five as they entertained Horndean. The match looked like it would end goalless, but with only two minutes left the visitors conceded a penalty, and Martyn Box kept his cool and found the net. Hill are ninth, five points away from a play off place.

East Grinstead Town hoped to turn a two match unbeaten run into three, heartened by their win at Ashford United last time out. The Wasps welcomed Broadbridge Heath along the A264, The Bears still getting their breath back after that incredible six-all draw with Merstham in midweek- but they were obviously in the mood for goals as they added another on twenty four minutes, Ben Aubrey putting them ahead. The Wasps chances of getting back into the match took a blow two minutes into the second half, Kiye Martin sent off, but they did manage an equaliser, Adonai Dacruz earning them a point four minutes from the end.

Merstham tried to follow that six-all draw in midweek with victory at bottom side Beckenham Town, but fell behind just after the break, Henry Griffin with the opener. Just after the hour Becks made it two-nil, Finley Roberts with the second- but ten minutes later Roberts was dismissed. Could the Moatsiders take advantage? Well they did get a goal back, Tobi Ogundega right at the end, but there wasn’t time for an equaliser and Town are seven points from safety as a result.

Erith and Belvedere hosted a local derby with Phoenix Sports. The Deres started the day six points from safety, and seven points behind their visitors, after a run which had seen them lose eight of their last nine fixtures- but they were ahead in this one just before the half hour, Ernie Cheesman with the goal. That turned out to be that, and it closed the gap on the Deres and their hosts, who fall to eighteenth.

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