Rocks win a Sussex derby, and Invicta are Semi-Finalists

At the Camping World Community Stadium Bognor Regis Town delivered a blow to Horsham’s Playoff hopes- but undoubtedly improved their own- with victory. A goal in each half did the damage, Tommy Leigh and Harvey Whyte disappointing most of the five hundred and seventy six looking on. The Hornets are five points behind fifth place Carshalton Athletic with a game in hand, the Rocks four points further back with two games in hand over the Robins.

In between the two, Enfield Town, in seventh place, are a point worse off than the Hornets, and have three more than the Rocks. They travelled to face Bishop’s Stortford last night, and exended their unbeaten run to five by scoring the only goal of the game, Shaun Okojie getting it midway through the first half. Stortford have now taken only three points out of their last thirty-three and last won a match as far back as December 7th, a run which has left them three points above the bottom three.

Margate, in fourteenth, got back to winning ways on Saturday when a late, late Elliott Reeves goal gave them victory over Bowers & Pitsea, and they picked up another three points with another one-nil win, this time against Wingate & Finchley- perhaps they just like playing against sides who use an ampersand? Kadell Daniel got the goal midway through the first half.

We have two more matches tonight, as Kingstonian host Cheshunt and Lewes entertain Haringey Borough.

The K’s are fifteen points off a playoff place but do have as many as four games in hand over the top five, and would be much closer to the promised land if they hadn’t drawn nearly half their matches. The last time they lost a league match was on January 4th- the victors (of course) Cheshunt. One win and four defeats from their last five has left the Ambers second from bottom of the table, but they do have games in hand over all of their relegation rivals and a victory could lift them as high as eighteenth.

Lewes have plummeted deep into relegation danger, almost entirely due to their appalling home form. They’ve won but one home match all season, and that was more than four months ago. That said, their away form hasn’t been great either of late, and they’ve taken only three points- three draws- from the last thirty available. Visitors Haringey Borough seem to have picked up of late, winning two of their last three, and although they are only one place above their hosts they do have an eleven point advantage.

North Division

Our leaders Maldon & Tiptree could have gone sixteen points clear with victory over Cambridge City at Park Drive- but instead the lead is ‘only’ fourteen points after the sides played out a goalless draw. These were two sides who don’t normally draw matches- that was only the Jammers second draw of the season, City’s third- but given they were both in good form shouldn’t be too much of a surprise. That’s six clean sheets in a row for City, who are ninth.

Coggeshall Town started the day seven points and one place outside the playoffs, and ended it with the gap down to four. Four was also the number of goals they scored, and the margin of victory, as neighbours Witham Town were swept aside- the only surprise was that Nnamdi Nwachuku didn’t score! Ross Wall and Max Booth did, getting two each, as Witham resistance was finally worn down, allowing the hosts to get three of their goals in the last eight minutes.

Dereham Town travelled to face Hullbridge Sports at the Len Salmon, home of Bowers and Pitsea- and would perhaps like to go there more often after picking up a two-nil win. Both goals came in the second half, the first, from David Hinton, twenty two minutes from the end, the second, from Ryan Crisp, deep into added time.

Felixstowe and Walton United came back from the dead to take a point at home to Canvey Island- but will be disappointed that they didn’t end the day with three. The Gulls looked comfortable at the end of the first half, two goals to the good- Jason Hallett and Michael Finneran with them- but the hosts, who really couldn’t afford to lose given their precarious state at the wrong end of the table, struck back after the break. Callum Bennett gotone back just from the spot just before the hour, and then Oliver Canfer got the equaliser with twenty minutes to go. Four minutes from time Bennett then got what looked to be the winner, but it wasn’t, as deep into added time Sam Bantick got an equaliser for the visitors. That point isn’t much help to the Gulls, who are twelve points off the playoffs, and the Seasiders really needed three- they are two points ahead of Basildon United and four ahead of Romford, but the Bees and Boro have played four and five games fewer respectively.

Romford return to their quest to get off the bottom as they host Tilbury at Aveley’s Parkside on Tonight. Until defeat against AFC Sudbury last time out Romford had won four in a row, but the Dockers have won eight of their last ten and will want to pick up another three points to strengthen their spot in the Playoff places.

South Central

Fifth place Uxbridge had won their last three matches and had lost only one of their last ten, and came through to pick up a fourth consecutive win on a tricky night against Barking at Honeycroft. Nicholas Bignall gave the Red Army an early boost with a first minute goal, and although Johnny Ashman brought the visitors level in the twenty seventh minute, Jack Beadle put the hosts in front once more six minutes later- and this time, they held on to that lead. Victory lifts Uxbridge to third.

Chipstead came from behind to score two goals in added time at Marlow on Saturday to take all three points, but they couldn’t manage another Lazarus impression at home to Ashford Town. The Tangerines greatly improved their chances of avoiding relegation with a two-nil victory, Joe Noakes in the first half and Elijah Ogunseye in the second opening up a six point gap between themselves and bottom side Staines.

The Swans showed spirit to pick up a point against Northwood last night- but perhaps too much spirit as they ended the match with only eight players after Matthew Males, Jamie Splatt and Andrew Blake all picked up second half red cards. Eric Lopes gave the Woods the lead soon after the break, and Tayo Oyebola got the equaliser for - then ten man- Staines in the seventy sixth minute. The Swans remain bottom, two points behind FC Romania, six behind their visitors.

South East

Cray Valley PM made it eight wins in a row by defeating Whyteleafe at the Badgers Sports Ground, but goodness they were made to work for the victory which saw them climb to eighth place. Three of the five goals scored came from the spot, and the first of those was for the visitors, Ryan Gondoh putting them two goals to the good in the thirty fifth minute after Andrew Sesay had opened the scoring twenty minutes earlier. That woke the hosts, and Gavin Tomlin got one back from the spot before then finding himself once more twelve yards from goal ten minutes after the break, once more making no mistake. The winner came just one minute later, and Francis Babalola got it.

Sevenoaks Town travelled to face Sittingbourne, neither side in the best of form. The Brickies, who had taken only one point from the last thirty on offer, seem in dire straits at present, and made it one point from their last thirty three as Oaks charged into a three goal half time lead, Tyrell Richardson-Brown, Frankie Sawyer and Dan Parkinson doing the damage. There were no further additions to the scoreline after the break, as Sevenoaks climbed to tenth.

Burgess Hill Town hosted Ramsgate, and served up a hot pasta bake in a creamy tomato sauce topped with melted cheese as well as a four goal thriller. Pat Harding gave the Hillians the lead eight minutes before the break, but they held it for only two minutes before Tom Chapman equalised for the Rams. Four minutes from time Mitchell Chapman seemed to have given the Rams the points, but right at the end a Scott Kirkwood penalty drew the hosts level. Our rather atmospheric headline image comes from Chris Neal, and you can see the rest of his images here- with more yet to be added.

The Velocity Trophy had a Quarter Final tie at the BuildKent Stadium, as Folkestone Invicta took a break from their promotion fight, and Brightlingsea Regent from their battle at the other end of the table, to meet in knockout football. It took a penalty shootout to finally separate the two, after a two-all draw, Invicta triumphing four-three on penalties.

All the goals came in the first half. Johan Ter Horst and Ira Jackson gave the hosts what looked like a commanding lead, but it wasn’t commanding enough, Romario Dunne and
George Bugg bringing Regent level.

Invicta will play Bracknell Town in next week’s Semi-Final.

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