Ten man Rams grab a point, Chats win late, and Becks fall to last-gasp defeat

Leaders Ramsgate faced what appeared to be a difficult task at Sheppey United- and so it proved. They went ahead on nine minutes, Taofiq Olomowewe with his first Rams goal in his second match for the club, but the Ites levelled ten minutes later through Danny Leonard, and then took control, Leonard adding another eight minutes before the break and seven minutes later Jake Embery getting a third, assisted by man of the moment Leonard. Life then got even more difficult for the Rams as Lee Prescott saw red, but somehow the ten men fought back to take a point. Jahmal Howlett-Mundle got one back with eighteen minutes remaining, and ten minutes from time the equaliser arrived, Rowan Liburd with it. The Rams remain two points clear.

Chatham Town, with their almost perfect home record, had been much less perfect on the road. The Chats had gone four matches without a win as they travelled to Corinthian, whilst their hosts had lost their last three and had only two wins from ten, a run which placed them twelve points from safety. The Chats won the home fixture between the sides by a single goal, and they managed to repeat that feat- but only just. The goal arrived right at the end, and it went to Ollie Sotoyinbo, sending the Chats to within two points of the leaders with a game in hand.

Beckenham Town knew that could go top with a win and a Ramsgate slip up, and with only one home defeat all season would have been confident as they kicked off early against Ashford United. Archie Johnson put Becks ahead on twenty one minutes, but they were hardly able to finish celebrating before Gary Lockyer equalised for the Nuts and Bolts. Right at the end, with a draw almost certain, Danny Parrish popped up to win it for the visitors. Becks slip to third. Image from United, we suspect by Ian Scammell (please let us know if that's wrong!).

Fourth place Whitehawk headed to VCD Athletic hoping to build on their four match unbeaten run and their four-nil midweek win over Lancing. The Hawks defeated Vickers four-nil at the Enclosed Ground in November, and were ahead in this one on twenty five minutes, Luke Robinson the scorer, and doubled their advantage immediately after the restart through Alfie Rogers. That turned out to be that, the Hawks remaining fourth.

Cray Valley PM have lost their way a little of late, and had slipped from the top five after taking one point from the last fifteen available. That slippage continued as they travelled to face bottom side Faversham Town, who moved off the bottom with a two-nil victory. Gillingham loanee Ronald Sithole got both goals midway through the second half, making it three goals in three games since his arrival and moving his side to within eleven points of safety, whilst the Millers are down to ninth.

Chichester City have been in superb form. They travelled for a Sussex derby, heading to Three Bridges, unbeaten in six and having won five of them- and went ahead in this one on thirty one minutes. Lloyd Rowlatt getting his eighth of the campaign. The second half saw the hosts turn the match on its head, Noel Leighton and Tad Bromage putting them ahead, only for Steve Hutchings to score his fourth goal in three matches and earn City a point.

Burgess Hill Town hauled themselves out of the bottom four with a win over Haywards Heath Town in midweek, then promptly dispensed with their manager. The Hillians welcomed Sevenoaks Town to Mid Sussex, and took the lead on the half hour, Reggie Ward opening the scoring. Sadly for the home fans, that was the high point. Karn Miller-Neave levelled with sixteen minutes remaining, and with nine minutes to go the hosts saw Harry Pollard dismissed. The ten men fell immediately behind as Kieran Cadogan scored from the spot, and three minutes later David Kawa made sure with a third, lifting his side to seventh.

Hythe Town have been in fabulous form, and travelled to Littlehampton Town looking to close the four point gap between themselves and the top five. The Cannons had won five of their previous six matches, but they fell behind just after the half hour, Dion Jarvis scoring for the hosts. That however awoke the visitors, who hit back with three goals in three minutes midway through the second half, Ethan Smith on fifty nine, Marvin Hamilton on sixty and Shad Ngandu on sixty two, and an own goal six minutes from time saw them leave with a four-one win and climb to eighth- only two points shy of fifth place.

A Sussex derby saw Lancing host East Grinstead Town, one place and one point between them at start of play. The Wasps came into this match four unbeaten, and they went ahead nine minutes before the break, Max Walsh the scorer. That turned out to be that, the Wasps up to twelfth- and perhaps more importantly six points above the bottom four.

Sittingbourne welcomed Haywards Heath Town in a bottom four battle. Five points separated the two at kick off- in Heath’s favour- but the visitors had gone five matches without a win and fell behind two minutes before the break, Mitchell May opening the scoring for the Brickies. It all fell apart for the visitors after the break, Chaynie Burgin, Donvieve Jones (2) and Vincent Follea taking the score up to five-nil, the Brickies closing to within three points of safety.

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