Stortford stay top, whilst managerless Wingate are no longer winless

Bishop’s Stortford, seven matches unbeaten and with a rather incredible six clean sheets from their last six matches, welcomed Carshalton Athletic, the Robins having increased their firepower this week with the arrival of Alex Akrofi from Aveley. The Blues got their noses in front five minutes before the break through Mark Haines, who headed home to delight the majority of the four hundred and eighty one in attendance, and the home faithful would have been further delighted when Ollie Cook saw red for the Robins soon after the restart. Two-nil was the score with ten minutes left, Anthony Church doubling home advantage, and that was that.

Potters Bar Town hadn’t managed a win from their previous three games and were hopeful of changing that record as they travelled to Corinthian-Casuals- and they were actually in Tolworth after Casuals got the go-ahead to reopen their storm damaged King George’s Field for the first time in a month. The hosts, without a win since the opening day, fell behind on nineteen minutes, Jacques Kpohomouh opening the scoring and baffling our autocorrect, but Casuals levelled a quarter of an hour later, Misha Djemali delighting those in pink and brown. Six minutes from time the Scholars got a winner, Tyler Christian-Law ensuring that his side stay second- and Miles Mitchell-Nelson's late red card didn't spoil their party.

Third place Enfield Town travelled to fourth place Cray Wanderers in our match of the day. The sides had contrasting fortunes prior to this match, the Towners without a win in three whilst Wands hit four in midweek and had taken seven points from their last nine- but after a closely contended first half the visitors went ahead on forty nine minutes, Marcus Wyllie opening the scoring. The equaliser came through Dan Bassett on the hour, and that was that- a result which saw the Towners slip to fifth and Wands to seventh.

Aveley had a new signing in place as they welcomed Haringey Borough- defender Siju Odelusi signing on. The Millers had slipped a little, with only one win from their previous four league matches, whilst Borough had only one defeat from their last nine league matches as they headed to Parkside- but it was the hosts who struck first and early, Kenny Aileru with his third goal of the campaign. It took until ten minutes from time until we had another goal, but it also went to the hosts, George Sykes making it two-nil- and they were more comfortable by the end, Garrett Kelly adding a third just before full time.

Hornchurch, in sixth at start of play, welcomed Horsham, a place behind. The Urchins had won four consecutive league matches before knockout football got in the way, and they went ahead in this one on twenty nine minutes, Liam Nash with his ninth of the season. The Hornets, three games unbeaten coming into this one, were level just before the break courtesy of Tom Richards, but level only for three minutes and the time they took to eat their oranges, Charlie Stimson restoring home advantage. Hornchurch made quite sure of three points when Jack Munns added a third from the spot, five minutes from time. Five hundred and fifty four watched on.

Canvey Island welcomed winless and now-managerless Wingate & Finchley, who saw boss Marc Weatherstone depart on Thursday- and the visiting side went ahead on nine minutes, Ben Siggers- who made a debut during midweek- opening the scoring direct from a free kick. It was nil-two midway through the half, Alkeo Bani doubling away advantage, and three-nil before the hour, Tyrique Clarke sending the away fans into dreamland. That’s how it ended, a result which sees Wingate climb out of the bottom four.

Hastings United, who started the day with top five hopes, travelled to take on the side who were promoted from Pitching In Isthmian South East alongside them last season, Herne Bay. United travelled to the Kent coast on the back of a run that saw them suffer only one defeat in six- and five clean sheets- and they were quickly ahead in this one, Kane Penn making it one-nil in the eleventh minute. They doubled their advantage just before the break, Alex Brefo making it two to the dismay of most of the five hundred and sixty one watching on, and it was three-nil nine minutes into the second half, Sam Adams with the visitors third. That turned out to be that, and only goal difference keeps Hastings out of the play off places.

Billericay Town played host to Bognor Regis Town. The hosting Blues had looked in fine fettle of late, taking ten points from their previous twelve, whilst the Rocks also seemed to be on the up, with only one defeat in six- and it was the visitors who struck first, Craig Robson putting them ahead after only eight minutes and silencing most of the eight hundred and fifty watching on. The Rocks struck second, too, Tom Chalaye making it two-nil on the hour, but the home fans were given hope when Anthony Jeffrey got one back with thirteen minutes left and hope became reality when Chris Dickson equalised eight minutes later. Right at the end the comeback was complete, Bradley Stevenson sending the visitors home with nothing and sparking the celebrations you can see above- image from Nicky Hayes.

Lewes defeated Margate twice last season, and it looked as if they were on their way to another victory over the Blues when Razz Coleman de-Graft put them ahead on twenty nine minutes at the Dripping Pan. Nine hundred and nine watched the game, and they would have been mostly delighted when Joe Taylor added a second just before the end. The Rooks climb to thirteenth.

Kingstonian welcomed Folkestone Invicta to Imperial Fields, home of Tooting & Mitcham United- and went ahead just before the break, Corey Parchment with the opening goal- a quite magnificent free kick breaking the deadlock. Invicta won both of last season’s encounters, seven-two on aggregate, but that wasn’t going to be repeated as Kieron Cadogen made it two-nil sixteen minutes from time. Invicta then saw Adam Yusuff dismissed, and that was that. Kingstonian are up to twelfth, Invicta down to fifteenth.

Nineteenth hosted twentieth as Bowers & Pitsea welcomed Brightlingsea Regent, both hoping for a win which might lift them out of the bottom four. Bowers, without a win since Saturday 20th August, went ahead on the hour, Michael Bareck, on from the bench, scoring for the second match in a row, but just before the end Jermaine Anderson equalised for the visitors, who haven’t won since August Bank Holiday Monday.

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