Rams held as Millers get closer

Leaders Ramsgate made the short trip to Hythe Town, and fell behind after fourteen minutes, defender Lex Allan up from the back to break the deadlock. It looked like they’d hold that lead into half time, but one of the Paxman triplets (not really), Jack S Paxman, had other ideas, levelling just before the break. The Rams took the lead for the first time twenty one minutes from time, another Paxman, Alfie, with their second goal, but the Cannons hit back to Lebel, Jake Embery leaving both sides with eleven minutes to find a winner. Neither managed it, and the Rams see their lead cut to six points.

Second place Cray Valley PM headed to Merstham looking for a win which would put pressure on the Rams. After a goalless first half, the Millers finally made the breakthrough on sixty three minutes, Matthew Vigor with the opening goal. That turned out to be the only goal, and it sees the Millers close to within six points of Ramsgate- with two games in hand. Image from Paul Martin.

Sittingbourne, in third at start of play, welcomed a high-performing Burgess Hill Town to the Roman Stadium, and gave the Hillian’s a first half performance evaluation that found them wanting, Mitchell May (13 and 34) and Chris Harris (31) giving them a three-nil lead at the break. That’s ten goals in his last nine matches for May. It was as good as game over when Donvieve Jones made it four eight minutes after half time, and it got worse for the visitors when Harris added a fifth. Finally the torture was over for Hill, and the Brickies remain third.

Lancing and Herne Bay couldn’t manage a goal between them in the first half, but one arrived soon after the restart, and it went to the visitors, Harrison Pont making it one-nil on the hour. Bay then took control, Frankie Smith adding a second and Kane Rowland a third, and that was how it ended- Bay outside the top five only on goal difference.

Sheppey United welcomed Three Bridges as sixth played fifth. After a goalless first half we had drama on the hour when Noel Leighton was dismissed for the visitors, and the Ites made the advantage count, going ahead fourteen minutes from time, Dan Bradshaw with the goal. That turned out to be the only goal of the game, and it saw the Ites into the top five, Bridges down to eighth.

Chichester City welcomed East Grinstead Town, but weren’t all that welcoming, firing in four goals without reply in an action-packed (at one end) first half, three of them in the first quarter of an hour. Jimmy Wild got the opener, and added the fourth just before the break, Conrad Honore and Josh Clack the other two. The Wasps finally found their sting just after half time, Omar Folkes pulling a goal back, but the hosts went straight back up the other end and made it five-one, Clack with his second of the afternoon. Clack had his hat trick with twenty five minutes to go, and it was six-one, and there was still time for a seventh, Oliver Munt scoring with two minutes remaining. That was finally that, and City move to within three points of the top five.

Horndean’s Tommy Scutt has been their main goal threat this season, and his tenth goal of the campaign gave the Deans the lead over Sevenoaks Town after just eight minutes at Five Heads Park. The hosts doubled their advantage when Zack Willett made it two-nil on the hour, and when Willett added another seven minutes from time it was game over for the visitors, who climb to fourteenth.

Phoenix Sports, four matches without a win, welcomed Littlehampton Town, who had lost their previous two. We expected this one to be close, and it was the visiting Golds who finally broke the deadlock on fifty eight minutes, Brad Dolaghan with the goal. Right at the end the same player made it two-nil, and ensured a happy trip back to Sussex for the visiting fans, who see their side end the day in sixteenth.

Broadbridge Heath looked to add three more points and make it four games unbeaten, and they did just that against Erith & Belvedere, but the goal arrived right at the end. James Buchanan scored it, and it saw the Bears climb to thirteenth.

Ashford United and Beckenham Town were both desperate for three points, if for different reasons. The Nuts and Bolts had lost five in a row, Becks were trying to get out of the bottom two, so both sets of fans were nervous. It was the relegation threatened visitors who opened the scoring on twenty five minutes, Dieko Falade breaking the deadlock, but the hosts were quickly level through Ian Draycott- and the home fans had something else to sing about when Jordan Ababio made it two-one, a goal on his debut. The visitors weren’t done, and Alfie Bloomfield levelled just after the hour, but the hosts regained their lead eight minutes later, Ababio scoring their third, and this time that was that, the Homelands faithful relieved that their side had got back to winning ways.

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