Stortford nearly reach the promised land!

Bishop’s Stortford started the day four points clear at the top of Pitching In Isthmian Premier, and went into the penultimate weekend of the regular season knowing that one more win could be enough- although as it turned out, it wasn’t! The Blues welcomed an Enfield Town side who had gone four matches without a win- a run which saw them removed from the top five last weekend- and who were desperate for three points of their own as they looked to keep their play off dreams alive. Stortford had won the last four meetings between the clubs, and they went ahead in this one ten minutes before half time, Darren Foxley with the opener. Just after the restart the Towners gave themselves (and the rest of the top four) hope with an equaliser, Michael Bakare levelling, but the Blues were ahead once more ten minutes later, Anthony Church sending most of the one thousand, three hundred and forty eight watching on into raptures. They were even more delighted when Foxley scored again with twenty five minutes to go, and when Ryan Charles added a fourth the outcome- of this match, at least- was secure. Town slip to seventh, their play off dreams over.

The Blues are four points clear at the top, but Canvey Island can cut that lead to just two points if they can defeat Aveley in midweek, which will take everything down to the final day. Stortford end their campaign at Herne Bay next Saturday.

Second place Hornchurch were looking to hammer the last nail into Bowers & Pitsea’s survival hopes at Bridge Avenue, whilst hoping that Enfield Town were doing them a favour elsewhere. One win in six had seen the Urchins title hopes take a battering, but they started well, Liam Nash putting them ahead in the very first minute. Nash added another sixteen minutes from time, and that was that- but the Urchins will have to compete in the play offs for the second season in succession. Bowers relegation was confirmed.

Canvey Island started the day five points behind the leaders with a game in hand, and looking to keep their title hopes alive. They defeated hosts Folkestone Invicta three-nil on the Island in December, and were quickly into a two goal lead on the Kent coast, Luca Albon and Evans Kouassi inside seventeen minutes- Kouassi scoring his twenty third of the season. Eight minutes before half time Josh Vincent got one back for the hosts- who also saw a penalty saved by Bobby Mason in the Canvey goal- but the Gulls soon hit back, Bradley Sach scoring against Invicta for the fourth time this season. That was that, Canvey still in the title race- five points behind the leaders with two matches to go, but at the very least assured of a home play off Semi-Final.

Fourth place Aveley welcomed Horsham to Parkside, in a match between our last two Velocity Cup winners. The Millers still had a mathematical possibility of taking the title with three matches remaining, although knew it would take something of a miracle- and it became even more difficult when the Hornets went ahead after just four minutes, Jack Mazzone scoring for the twenty second time this season. That turned out to be the only goal of the game, which means the Millers still aren’t confirmed as top five finishers- although a point against Canvey in midweek would do it.

Fifth place Cray Wanderers went into their match with Kingstonian seven games undefeated- with six victories, having found form at just the right time. The K’s kicked off still needing one more point to guarantee their safety, but fell behind on eleven minutes, Harrison Sodje calming Cray nerves, and those nerves were calmer still when Jalen Jones added a second at the start of the second half. That turned out to be that- and the K’s were able to celebrate survival anyway, as their rivals lost.

Lewes welcomed Haringey Borough knowing that victory would probably be the only way to keep their play off dreams alive- and they had the game won within seventeen minutes. Razz Coleman De Graft opened the scoring on eight minutes, Joe Taylor’s thirty seventh of the season made it two a few minutes later, and with only seventeen minutes on the clock Jaydn Mundle-Smith made it three. That was that until two minutes from time, Archie Tamplin adding a fourth and his side moving up to sixth- two points behind fifth place Cray and needing to win at Canvey next weekend to have any chance of a top five finish. Our images shows Tom Champion, retiring at the end of the season after a distinguished career- but hoping for a few more matches yet! Courtesy of James Boyes.

Hastings United started the day six points behind fifth place Cray Wanderers, albeit with a game in hand- but we were sure they wouldn’t give up their play off chances until they had no choice, and so it proved as they welcomed Bognor Regis Town. Rocks defender Calvin Davies was involved in an incident that saw Lewes forward Deon Moore dismissed on Easter Monday, and this time it was he who picked up the early red card, departing after just eleven minutes. His side were one down by then, Freddie Legg with the opener on ten minutes, and by the time we reached the half hour mark United had two more, both scored by David Smith. The ten men got one back, Harvey Whyte giving them hope, and nine minutes from time Sam De St Croix brought it back to three-two. Could they? They couldn’t- and United welcome Billericay Town on Tuesday night still with a mathematical- if extremely unlikely- chance of a play off spot.

Potters Bar Town welcomed Carshalton Athletic at the Lantern Stadium with only final league positions to play for, both sides free of worries at either end of the table; whilst you could say very much the same about Billericay Town’s match with Margate at New Lodge. Billericay went ahead in that one after twelve minutes, Brad Stevenson making it twenty one for the campaign, and doubled their advantage through Alfie Cerulli ten minutes before half time. Another Stevenson, Toby, made it three with eight minutes remaining, and that was that- Town up to tenth.

Potters Bar took sixteen minutes to take the lead against the Robins, Sam Dowdridge opening the scoring, and the same player made it two eight minutes before half time. Two minutes later it was three-nil, Lewis Smith leaving the visitors bemused, and although Calvin Ekpiteta got one back for the visitors eleven minutes from time that was that.

Wingate & Finchley, safe in sixteenth place, welcomed Herne Bay- who were anything but safe. The visitors started the day six points from safety, and needed to win both of their remaining matches to have any hope of survival- but they were two goals down by the half hour mark, Emmanuel Yeboah and Elliot Long delighting the home faithful. Conor Dymond quickly got a goal back, but Long made sure of three points with the third goal eight minutes from time. There was still time for Wilfred Samuel-Ompreon to add a fourth, and Bay’s relegation was finally confirmed.

Finally, our bottom two, both already confirmed as relegated, had only pride to play for at the Taydal. Brightlingsea Regent played host to Corinthian-Casuals. Casuals were handicapped before the start; Nathaniel Pinney is very good in the box, but usually facing the other way- a shortage of personnel meant that the striker ended up in goal! Despite that, the visitors went ahead after twenty five minutes, Sahid Kamara finding the net. They were ahead for only five minutes before Suleyman Zuhdu levelled, and just before the break the hosts went ahead, Samuel Jeremiah giving the home fans something else to cheer. They had even more to cheer when Zuhdu added another soon after the start of the second half, and although Jola Lahan got one back for the visitors just before the hour it was four-two almost immediately, Bradley Russell with Regent’s fourth- the last goal of the game.

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