Rooks, Rocks, Saints and Grays

After a Tuesday night filled with draws, we had four matches and four victories last night.

Starting in the Premier Division, and Lewes- in their first match since the departure of manager Darren Freeman- won their first home league match of the season, and in so doing left visitors Corinthian-Casuals still looking for their first league victory of any kind. The Rooks left it late- until three minutes from time to be exact- James Hammond firing home the only goal of the game to give away fans a sinking feeling that they are fast getting used to. Casuals have now lost seven league matches by the narrowest of margins, either 1-0, 2-1 or 3-2, but they will need to find a way of turning decent performances into points if they are to climb off the bottom of the table. Lewes ended the night in fifteenth, nine points clear of their visitors.

At Casuals' King George's Field, tenants Kingstonian were looking to continue their recent excellent form by taking three points from Bognor Regis Town. The K's were undefeated in six matches, and the Rocks could field only two substitutes- but the home side were foiled by a recent departure from their ranks, as Bognor goalkeeper Amadou Tangara kept them at bay for ninety minutes. It has perhaps been no coincidence that since Tangara moved to Nyewood Lane his side have picked up two successive victories, but it should also be no surprise given how good he was as Mertham marched to the Playoff Final last season.

The depleted Rocks didn't only keep the K's at bay, they snatched all three points- a goal from Ashton Leigh just after the break the only one of the match.

Into the Velocity Trophy now, and we start in Group Five, where all the action came after the break. With the score at nil-nil at half time, Chalfont St Peter were quickly out of the blocks after their half time oranges, scoring three goals in twelve minutes- Danny Wickenden, Hani Berchiche and Luke Illsley finding the net. Vladut Sighiartau got one back for FC Romania with twenty minutes left, but the wolves hunt for points ended in failure.

In Group Two Romford went to Grays Athletic, took the lead, and must have thought the were fair set for a draw and a penalty shootout when Grays Stanley Muguo was sent off with the scores level at two-two with three minutes remaining. The ten men had other ideas, however, and Warren Kayembe got a winner for the home side a minute from time.

Romford had taken the lead after twenty one minutes through Malaki Toussaint, but that advantage went just before the break as Mitchel Hahn equalised for Grays. Into the second half and almost immediately Manny Ogunrinde put the hosts ahead, only for Keiron Owusu to draw Boro level. Sadly for the visitors, that parity was short lived- despite the red card.