Stortford stay top- whilst Urchins and Rocks hit five

Our leaders, Bishop’s Stortford, were off to the seaside for the second time this week, although hoping for a better outcome after their midweek loss at Bognor Regis Town. The Blues, two points clear at the top at start of play, faced another set of Blues- an improving Margate side who were four matches unbeaten- but it was the visitors who struck first, Chris Harris with the opener seven minutes before the break. That turned out to be the only goal, and Stortford take the points and remain two points clear.

Second at start of play, Enfield Town welcomed Wingate & Finchley in a derby match. Town were in fine form, with six wins from seven, but they gave themselves a mountain to climb in the first half as Antonis Vasiliou scored a stunner for the visitors and Scott Thomas then saw red for violent conduct. A red card for the visitors in the closing stages- Olarinde Williams- gave the hosts hope, and they immediately took advantage, Lyle Della-Verde levelling from a free kick- but that was that, the Towners slipping to fourth.

Aveley were on the road to a Kingstonian side who are under new management, Simon Lane stepping up from Pitching In Isthmian South Central side Westfield. The Millers had won their last three- and indeed had only one defeat from their previous six- whilst their hosts have won only one of their last thirteen matches, so it was no surprise when the visitors went ahead just before the half hour, George Sykes with the goal after a nice assist from Manny Ogunrinde. What was perhaps more surprising is that Sykes goal was the only one of the game- particularly as the Millers earned and missed a penalty- but it lifted the visitors to second place.

Hornchurch have games in hand over the rest of the top five- indeed, they have games in hand over the rest of the top thirteen, as if that’s a useful statistic- but they needed three points against Potters Bar Town, and they got them with five goals in the second half. New signing Ade Yusuff, twenty five goals for Folkestone Invicta, made it twenty six for the season with the opener on his Urchins debut, and almost immediately they saw Sam Higgins double their advantage- what a front two that is! Tom Wraight added a third fifteen minutes from time, a fourth from Chris Dickson arrived with five minutes to go, and they got their tenth goal against the Scholars this season when Wraight added another just before the end, this one from the spot. The Urchins are third, four points behind the leaders with two games in hand.

Canvey Island knew they could climb as high as third if they won and other results went their way- but the Gulls had to win an Essex derby against Billericay Town to do so, and they fell behind just after the half hour, Anderson Pinto opening the scoring. It was two to Town on sixty four minutes, Kareem Isiaka with his first Blues goal, and although Connor Hubble made the closing stages exciting with a last-gasp goal that was that- the Gulls down to seventh, Billericay four points behind. The Manager of the Month curse strikes again as Town do the double over their hosts, and the away fans celebrate courtesy of Nicky Hayes.

Carshalton Athletic hadn’t managed a win over Cray Wanderers in their last three attempts, but all looked positive when they went ahead at Hayes Lane on eleven minutes, Matthew Vigor with the opener. Last season the Robins delivered a nightmare at Hayes Lane, in a match which saw them go two-nil, three-one and four-three up only to lose five-four, and there must have been some nervousness when Wands equalised- particularly given the fact that the goal came from Dan Bassett. Dan scored a hat trick in this fixture last season- but he got it for Athletic!

That nervousness would have been magnified when Tom Derry put the hosts ahead nine minutes later, and that turned out to be the last goal of the game- Wands back in the top five.

Lewes took their fine form to Essex, where they faced Bowers & Pitsea. The Rooks had lost only two of their previous ten and scored eight goals without conceding during their previous two matches, so it wasn’t too much of a surprise when Deon Moore put them ahead on fifteen minutes- but the hosts levelled five minutes after the restart, Ayman El Mogharbel with the equaliser. The Rooks could have been two up before then, a penalty saved by Joseph Osaghae, but they had a second two minutes later, Tyrique Hyde restoring away advantage. An own goal fifteen minutes from time gave the Rooks breathing space- but D’Jean Spencer brought the Len Salmon to life once more by reducing the arrears with seven minutes left. The Rooks, however, held out to take three points- and are up to sixth.

With an eight match unbeaten run Horsham were in their best form of the season, and looked to add to Folkestone Invicta’s recent woes as the Stripes arrived at the Camping World Community Stadium. Invicta have a very good record against the Hornets, winning ten of their previous eleven meetings- indeed they’d already defeated them in league and FA Trophy this season- but they fell behind on twenty seven minutes, Harvey Sparks opening the scoring for the hosts. Invicta levelled just before the break, Ira Jackson scoring from the spot, and the Hornets went down to ten men with twenty minutes left, Lee Harding seeing red. The visitors immediately took advantage, Scott Heard putting them ahead, and they made sure seven minutes from time, Ibrahim Olutade with that one. Another red card for the hosts, Daniel Ajakaiye getting his marching orders, arrived just before the end. Horsham must believe that someone from Folkestone has applied a curse.

Hastings United side were on the road to relegation-threatened Corinthian-Casuals, who had lost their last seven matches. United had already defeated Casuals twice this season, in League and Velocity Cup, and they went ahead from the spot just before the half hour- Ben Pope converting after a foul on David Smith. It was two-nil to the Sussex seasiders just before the break, Knory Scott with that one, and that turned out to be that. United climb to eighth.

The last time Haringey Borough and Bognor Regis Town met, back in November at Nyewood Lane, Borough got an early goal and stuck to it like limpets to claim all three points. They got another early goal at Coles Park, Olalekan Osideko opening the scoring on three minutes, and although the Rocks levelled through Dan Gifford on eighteen minutes the hosts were ahead again two minutes later, Ben Allen finding the back of the Bognor net. Striker Nathan Odokonyero is in magnificent form for the visitors, having scored in his previous five matches and notched twenty three for the season, and he made it six in a row and twenty four with an equaliser ten minutes before the break. Three minutes after the restart the Rocks went ahead for the first time, Gifford with his second of the afternoon, and another from Odokonyero ten minutes from time made sure of victory. Sam De St Croix added a fifth late on, as the Rocks climb to fourteenth.

It may be strange to call a relegation battle our biggest match of the day, but the game between Brightlingsea Regent and Herne Bay looked vital for both sides. Regent started the day two points ahead of their bottom placed visitors, and five points from safety, but they started the game in the worst possible way, scoring an own goal after just three minutes to put Bay ahead. Just after the hour, a penalty- keeper Charlie Turner seeing red for Regent, David Ozobia converting from twelve yards to make it two-nil. Regent- with an outfield player, Zack Littlejohn, in goal- got one back with sixteen minutes left, Suleyman Zuhdu giving them hope, but Bay held on for victory- and will be delighted as they were the only one of the bottom five to win, a result which moves them up to twentieth.

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