Rocks hit seven, rain hits eleven

“Rain, rain, go away,” came the plea from across the Isthmian world. But it didn’t, and we lost eleven matches to waterlogged pitches. The football we did have, however, made up for our disappointment!

We had four sides in FA Trophy First Round action- and we knew that we’d have at least one in the Second Round draw on Monday, as two of them took on each other.

The all-Isthmian tie took place at Colston Avenue, where Carshalton Athletic hosted Aveley. The Robins had been magnificent in cup competitions this season, getting to the First Round of the FA Cup and- obviously- unbeaten in the FA Trophy, whilst the visitors had already knocked out three higher level sides on the way to this stage. The Millers certainly wouldn’t have been suffering from ornithophobia, and they proved that be soaring into a two-nil lead. Shad Ngandu opened the scoring for the visitors after a quarter of an hour, and three minutes later it was two, Harry Gibbs with the second. Jason Raad made it three after the break, before Harry Ottaway pulled one back. Was the comeback on? Christie Patterson made it interesting with nine minutes to go, reducing the arrears to just one goal, and then right at the end Paris Hamilton-Downes got the equaliser- so they’ll have it all to do again at Parkside.

Enfield Town welcomed National League Ebsfleet United to the QEII stadium, but departed the competition as the visitors got two first half goals.

Hornchurch beat National League South Oxford City in the last round, and their reward was to host another side from the same division- but this one was rather familiar to us, as Dulwich Hamlet took a trip along Bridge Avenue. Hamlet had lost only one of their last four matches so weren’t short on confidence, but were missing their biggest fan, as Mishi Morath is unwell and in hospital. We’d like to send our love and best wishes to Mishi along with our hopes for a speedy recovery.

Nathan Cooper put the Urchins ahead eight minutes after the break, and they were able to hold on and slay another giant!

On Sunday we have a Surrey derby as Kingstonian take on National League Woking.

Premier Division

Leaders Folkestone Invicta travelled to a newly-resurgent Bowers & Pitsea, but were looking to extend a run which had seen them undefeated in the league since October 19th. It took them five minutes to go ahead through Kieron McCann, but Bowers were level midway through the first half as Lewis Manor got an equaliser. Manor then put the hosts ahead seventeen minutes from time, and that unbeaten run for the visitors was firmly ended when Ben Sartain made it three for Bowers just before the end.

Horsham, who started the day in third place, had gone three matches without a win and hoped to get back to winning ways as they hosted East Thurrock United. They were ahead eleven minutes before the break, Gary Charman scoring for the second weekend in a row, and were back to within a point of Invicta as that turned out to be the only goal of the game.

With Hornchurch and Carshalton in Trophy action, Cray Wanderers knew that they could climb above both if they could win at Bognor Regis Town- but their hosts at Nyewood Lane had lost only one of their last eight league matches so were hardly going to be a pushover. The Rocks took the lead after twenty one minutes through Ashton Leigh, and had a second through an own goal just before the half hour. Three minutes later it was three-nil as Dan Smith got on the scoresheet, and when Doug Tuck made it four soon after half time Wands must have wished they could magic themselves somewhere else. Joseph Taylor can always be relied upon to find the net, and he got one back on seventy one minutes, but the Rocks then got another from Tommy Leigh- and then Tuck scored again to make it six-one. Taylor got another to reduce the gap to four and perhaps give the travelling fans some consolation, but not for long as Smith made it seven for the merciless hosts.

Leatherhead, in fourteenth place, hosted Brightlingsea Regent. After not managing to record a win since the end of August Regent had suddenly won two in a week, whilst the Tanners had won their last three matches in all competitions. The hosts took the lead almost immediately, Will Salmon opening the scoring, and that turned out to be the only goal of the game. The Tanners climbed to tenth.

After waiting for months Merstham finally picked up a victory in midweek, as they defeated Kingstonian in the Velocity Trophy. The Moatsiders would have been hoping to build on that as they hosted Lewes, but the visitors had other ideas and went two up in the first quarter of an hour, Billy Medlock and Stefan Illic with the goals. Twelve minutes before the break Omar Folkes pulled a goal back for the home side, but the two goal cushion was soon restored, Dayshonne Golding getting the Rooks third. Just after the break Medlock made it four by getting his second, and although Chace Jacquart got another back for the homeside just before the end the Rooks held on for a comfortable victory.

Finally we had a basement battle between Corinthian-Casuals and Wingate & Finchley. Casuals took an early lead through Benjamin Checklit, but the Blues levelled before the break, Olu Akinsanya getting the equaliser. Into the second half and Casuals regained their advantage through Oliver Stitch, but once more Akinsanya levelled for the visitors. Three minutes before the end the Blues got a third- we don’t yet know who scored it- but Hakeem Adelekun was still able to find time to equalise for the hosts.

North Division

Leaders Maldon & Tiptree started the day a point clear at the summit with three games in hand over the sides below them, and undefeated in the league. Dereham Town visited Park Drive hoping to be the side that ended that run, and an own goal put them ahead in the sixteenth minute. Could they hold on? Well they were ahead until the sixtieth minute when Martin Stokes got the Jammers level, and then the inevitable happened- Danny Parish scored to make it two-one to the home side, who held on for victory.

Great Wakering Rovers travelled to Cambridge City- who announced two new signings on Thursday evening and took an early lead through Yaw Ofusu. They couldn’t hold it for long, Jake Gordon equalising with only twelve minutes on the clock, and Rovers were ahead in the sixty fifth minute through Kojo Apenteng. They made the game safe twenty two minutes from time as Gordon got his second of the afternoon, but there were two goals in the closing stages- one for each side- as Billy Johnson scored for Rovers and Luke Knight for City to make the final score two-four. Rovers are up to eighth.

Canvey Island, who won at Heybridge last weekend, took an early lead at home to Felixstowe and Walton United. Tobi Joseph opened the scoring in the fifth minute- and they doubled it before the half hour through Jason Hallett. Joe Yaxley, newly arrived at the Seasiders, pulled a goal back nine minutes after the break, but it was in vain when the Gulls made it three through Michael Finneran. The Gulls are eleventh.

South Central

The big match of the day saw second placed Ware travel to Tooting and Mitcham United, who sat in fourth. Ware had won their last four matches in all competitions by scoring six goals in each, whilst the Terrors had got five last weekend, so we thought it would be exciting- and so it proved. It took only four minutes for Ware to find the net, Harry Watkins firing home- but unlike in their other recent matches the opposition didn’t roll over, and Jamarie Brissett soon had an equaliser for the Terrors. Then, in the twenty first minute, Danny Bassett put the hosts ahead, to the delight of most of the three hundred and seventy eight in attendance. That’s how it remained, and the Terrors climbed to third, whilst Ware fell four points behind the leaders.

Those leaders, Hanwell Town, travelled to face a Bracknell Town side who were under new management. The Robins scored the opening goal of the game eight minutes into the second half through Daniel Bayliss, but Gareth Chendlik- as usual- got the Geordies level eight minutes later to earn them a point.

Waltham Abbey put their six game unbeaten run on the line as they travel to Chalfont St Peter, but they made it seven- however they couldn’t find a goal to win the game, which ended nil-nil.

Westfield knew they could climb back into the top five, but they didn’t start well as they travelled to FC Romania, Ionut Miron scoring for the Wolves in only the second minute. Max Blackmore drew the visitors level in the twenty sixth minute, Jake Hill put them ahead eight minutes after the break, and just after the hour Aaron Watson made it three-one. That wasn’t enough for Field, and Anis Nuur made it four with eighteen minutes remaining, before Dylan Cascoe made it five three minutes before time.

Harlow Town, who had slipped to seventh place after taking only one point from their last twelve, entertained South Park, who had bounced back from three defeats to take four points from their last six. The Sparks went ahead eleven minutes before the break through Leon Moore, but the Hawks levelled matters with twenty one minutes to go through Christian Adu Gyamfi- but dropped to eighth. Sparks are fifteenth.

Chertsey Town travelled for a derby match at Staines Town, the Swans another side who named a new manager this week- and he won’t have been too happy as the Curfews took the lead after twenty two minutes through Jake Baxter. Sam Murphy made it two-nil seven minutes after the break, and it got worse for the hosts as Matt Drage made it three and Jonathan Hippolyte made it four. The Curfews end the day in sixth.

Hertford Town were hoping to bounce back from their six goal thrashing at Chipstead in midweek as they hosted Bedfont Sports- who were undefeated in their last six matches. Ikem Odeh put Town ahead on the half hour, but Sports were level six minutes after the break through Daryll Sanders, and soon afterwards new signing Brian Testolin put them ahead. It got worse for Town as they went down to ten men when Percy Kiangebeni was dismissed, and the visitors immediately took advantage as Eze Bademosi made it three. Max Oldham made it four with five minutes to go, and that saw Sports up to thirteenth.

Chipstead, fresh from that six-nil win, travelled to second bottom Ashford Town, who lost six-nil against Ware last time out and didn’t want to do that again. The Chips took the lead just before the break through Sam Clayton, who scored from the spot, and they doubled it just before full time through Archie Morgan to end the day in twelfth.

South East

Our undefeated leaders, Hastings United, travelled to Ashford United, who were in fifth place. The Nuts and Bolts opened the scoring midway through the first half through Josh Wisson, and held that advantage at half time. Could they hold on and inflict a first defeat on Hastings? They could, and climbed to fourth.

Second place Cray Valley were four points behind the leaders so couldn’t have gone back to the top whatever happened, but wanted to keep the pressure on the leaders with victory at Phoenix Sports. The hosts had only one point from their last twelve, so needed a victory to get their playoff ambitions back on track. We got a goalless first half, and then Sports opened the scoring nineteen minutes after the restart through Kenny Alireu. The hosts got a second, the same player scoring deep into added time, and are four points off the Playoff positions.

Fourth played sixth as Whyteleafe hosted Sevenoaks Town. The hosts have only one defeat from their last nine matches, whilst former leaders Town have slipped of late, with only one win in their last six- but it was the Oaks who got the advantage, Louis Collins putting them ahead twelve minutes before the break. The hosts left it late to equalise, but equalise they did, Freddie Parker levelling in the last minute- so it ended as fifth versus sixth.

Guernsey travelled to Chichester City, and after a goalless first half we got…a goalless second half. The Green Lions are seventh, Chi twelfth.

VCD Athletic, starting the day in eighth place, travelled to seventeenth place Hythe Town looking to get back to winning ways. The Cannons were without a win from their last eight matches, but Danny Walder gave them the lead just after the half hour and two minutes later Sam Blackman made it two. The point were secured fifteen minutes from time when Tom Walmsley made it three, and VCD then went down to ten men, Temi Eweka getting his marching orders, which helped the Cannons see out a comfortable victory.

Herne Bay played host to Haywards Heath Town. Bay came back from two goals down to score four against Vickers last weekend, and had lost only one of their last seven, whilst their visitors also had only one defeat from seven but had drawn four of them. We expected that both would be difficult to beat, and we were right, as the match ended goalless.

Whitstable Town, who had won three of their last four, travelled to face a Ramsgate side who saw their chairman step down due to ill health on Thursday- and who had only two points from their last twenty one. The Oysterboys started this match as they finished their trip to Guernsey in midweek, Marcus Elliott putting the ball in the Rams net after nine minutes, but the hosts were level at the break, Ashley Miller scoring in the forty fourth minute. When Josh Spencer was dismissed for the visitors with fourteen minutes to go it gave the Rams a chance to pick up a victory, but they couldn’t take it and one-one was the final score.

Burgess Hill Town, unbeaten in three, hosted Faversham Town- the visitors having reinforced their squad yesterday and who will be hoping to score after two nil-nil draws in a row. Mason Doughty opened the scoring for the home side after thirty minutes, and four minutes later Max Miller doubled it, but the visitors were back in the match twelve minutes after the restart through Michael Hagan. The hosts made it safe in the very last minute through Scott Kirkwood.