Swans in control- whilst Merstham climb out of the bottom four

Swans in control- whilst Merstham climb out of the bottom four

Leaders Walton & Hersham, seventeen without defeat at kick off, welcomed Southall to the Sports Hub. The sides had already met three times this season, in three competitions, the Swans winning two and the All the other. The Swans were ahead midway through the first half in this one, John Gilbert with the goal, but we knew there would be another as Eddie Simon hadn’t scored and that seems to be compulsory. The Swans striker scored his FORTY THIRD of the season with eleven minutes remaining, and a Harry Mills penalty ensured a three-nil win right at the end. That's one hundred goals so far for the swans, who also provided our image.

Basingstoke Town travel to Guernsey today- and defeat would effectively hand the Swans the title, as the leaders goal difference is significantly better.

Third place Marlow were already guaranteed a play off place, but they wanted to ensure home Semi-Final advantage so had all the motivation they needed as they welcomed Uxbridge. They opened the scoring five minutes after the break, Kai Hamilton-Olise with the goal, but were quickly pegged back, Aaron Minhas with the equaliser. That was that, and Marlow stay third- but are not yet entirely sure of that home advantage.

Northwood, three points short of guaranteeing their play off place, hoped to pick up those points as they travelled to South Park Reigate- but they fell behind on the quarter hour, Brendan Murphy-McVey with the opener. Woods levelled just before the break through Dan Williams, but fell behind once more when Deondre Date restored the hosts advantage five minutes after half time. Sixteen minutes from time the hosts added a third, Finlay Johnson with that one, an outcome that leaves Woods still not quite secure as seventh place Binfield, four points behind, have a game in hand.

Fifth place Hanworth Villa welcomed third bottom Bedfont Sports in a match critical for both sides. The Villains started the day with a point advantage and a game in hand over sixth place Chertsey Town in the race for the play offs; whilst Sports found themselves two points from safety with two games left, and only above the automatic relegation positions on goal difference. The visitors went ahead midway through the first half, Oliver Kind with the goal, only for the hosts to level eight minutes into the second half, Tom Bender scoring for the second time this week. Villa were soon in front, Sam Merson making it two, and they held on to open up a four point hap between themselves and the only side who can catch them, Binfield- the Moles with a game in hand. Sports drop into the bottom two, three points from safety with one match to play.

Another match critical at both ends saw Chertsey Town host Merstham. The Curfews were outside the top five by one point at kick off, whilst the visiting Moatsiders had an even more pressing need, occupying the second automatic relegation position at kick off. The match saw only one goal, and it arrived right at the end, Bryan Zepo sending the travelling fans into raptures and lifting them outside of the bottom four on goal difference- albeit having played a game more than the side directly below them.

Binfield started the day four points away from the top five and knew that they needed to defeat Chipstead if they were to have any chance of crashing into the top five. They went ahead eleven minutes before half time, Conor Lynch with the goal, and that turned out to be the only goal of the game. They end the weekend still four points away from fifth spot with two games to go, and are likely to need to defeat Marlow on Tuesday night to have any chance of crashing the end of season party.

Leatherhead travelled to already relegated Tooting & Mitcham United, and after a goalless first half finally broke the deadlock with thirteen minutes left, Bradley Manning earning them three points. Their play off dreams, however, are over.

Westfield, comfortably ensconced in mid table, welcomed a side who would have given anything to be comfortable, fourth bottom Sutton Common Rovers. The visitors had actually been in very good form, with only two defeats from ten, but fell behind on nineteen minutes, Johnny Efedje the scorer. It was two-nil eleven minutes from time, Samir Bajja, on from the bench, making it two- and finally the visitors awoke, scoring twice in the last three minutes. Liam Holden got their first, from the spot, with Nabeel Ghana earning them a point right at the end- and still gives them a slight chance of escaping the bottom four.

Finally, Ashford Town opened the gates of the Robert Parker Stadium to Thatcham Town. The Tangerines had been in freefall, with eight defeats from their previous ten, and knew that another failure against the Kingfishers could see them drop into the bottom four- but they went ahead on eighteen minutes through Dale Burnham. The visitors levelled just after the half hour mark, Simeon Weekes with his fifth of the season, but within one minute Tomasz Siemienczuk had restored the hosts lead. If the home supporters had hope, it was dashed by Weekes after the break, the Thatcham striker adding goals in the sixty ninth and seventy sixth minutes to put his side in front- but a late, late equaliser from Dan Brown earned the Tangerines a point. Ashford drop into the bottom four on goal difference, but travel to relegated Tooting & Mitcham United on Tuesday to play a game in hand over their relegation rivals, knowing that victory could give them a lifeline.

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