The Chats breath life into the title race

Our big, big, big match (did we mention it was big?) came from the Bauvill Stadium, where second place Chatham Town welcomed runaway leaders Hornchurch, and were hoping to stop them running away even further.

The Urchins hadn't played for a fortnight, and saw a twelve match winning streak brought to an end in a goalless draw with Whitehawk last time out- and they made it a goalless one hundred and thirty five minutes in a row as half time arrived without a breakthrough for either side. The opening goal arrived on seventy five minutes, and- of course it went to Urchins legend Chris Dickson, these days plying his trade in Chatham. The home fans celebrated, and undoubtedly the chasing pack celebrated, and they were all celebrating once more when Ashley Nzala headed home to make it two-nil seven minutes later.

Hornchurch lose for the first time this season- and Chatham close the gap to five points. That said, the Urchins still have three games in hand over today’s victors.

Image from Max English.

Three points behind second place Chatham at kick off- albeit with two games in hand over the Kent side- were Enfield Town. The Towners got back to winning ways against Margate two weeks ago, but had been rained off since, and they had the tough task of Dulwich Hamlet to face them. Hamlet were ten matches unbeaten, and went ahead eight minutes before half time, Luke Wanadio taking his tally for the season into double figures, this one from the spot. Early in the second half the visitors were reduced to ten men, Josh Okpolokpo seeing red, and that should have galvanised the hosts, but instead Hamlet made it two-nil, Danny Mills doubling the lead.

The Towners got a goal back from the spot, Sam Youngs scoring his seventeenth goal of the season, and they had twenty one minutes to find an equaliser. They found it nine minutes from the end, Jonathan Hippolyte on his debut- could they now get a winner? They could. In the very last minute James Richmond made it three-two, and the Towners are eight points away from the summit.

Billericay Town, in fourth at kick off, welcomed bottom side- but Sunday’s comeback kids- Haringey Borough. The Blues had looked a little vulnerable of late, having lost three of their last five- whilst Borough had looked vulnerable all season, sadly, and had gone nine matches without a win, a run which saw them ten points from safety at kick off. On Sunday at Cray Wanderers they came from three-nil down with twelve minutes left to take a point, and that must have given them confidence as they went ahead just before the break, albeit with an own goal. The Blues levelled with only eighteen minutes left, Ben Wells making it one-one, but three minutes from time Borough restored their lead, Mekhi Leacock-McLeod with the goal. Borough have conceded late goals for fun this season, but not this time, and held on for a magnificent victory which lifts them off the bottom. Town slip to fifth.

Fifth place Wingate & Finchley welcomed second bottom Concord Rangers to Summers Lane, not that it felt much like summer. The Blues had won four of their last five and were having a fine season, whilst Rangers were three unbeaten- by far their best run of the season- although they’d had to wait a fortnight for a chance to build upon that four-one hammering of Lewes last time out. Wingate & Finchley went ahead on seventeen minutes- only our second Premier Division goal of the day- and it went to Anointed Chukwu, heading home to take his tally for the season into double figures. Three minutes from time the visitors Duane Acheampong saw red, and the hosts quickly took advantage, Luke Deslandes making it two with a minutes to go. That was that, the Blues up to fourth, the Beachboys back to the bottom.

Hastings United were hoping to claim back their place in the top five, although to do so they’d need to win and hope that Wingate didn't. United had a Sussex derby ahead of them, Bognor Regis Town making the trip to Pilot Field, and the hosts went ahead from the spot on twenty four minutes, Davide Rodari, who has been in fine goalscoring form, converting from the spot for his fourteenth of the season and fourth in his last three. Ten minutes after the break another penalty, another goal- this one to the visitors Dan Smith- and both sides had to settle for a point.

Horsham were four unbeaten in the league and had already played THIRTY matches in all competitions prior to the visit of Folkestone Invicta. The Kentish Seasiders had only one win from their previous seven in the league and new boss Andy Drury was still looking for his first three points, but he’d have been delighted when his side went ahead just before the half hour, Tom Derry with his first goal for the club.

Invicta have a good record against the Hornets, winning the previous three times they’ve met, but the hosts levelled ten minutes after the break through Daniel Ajakaiye and then completed the turnaround with seventeen minutes left, Shamir Fenelon giving them the lead for the first time. They held it- and are up to sixth, two points away from a top five berth with two matches in hand over the side above them.

Hashtag United welcomed Cray Wanderers to the Len Salmon. The visitors were five matches unbeaten, but made their lives difficult against a Tags side who are remarkably difficult to defeat when taking on eleven men, Tom Bonner seeing red for the Wands on twenty six minutes. It took until the sixty fourth minute before the Tags could take advantage, Luke May-Parrott on from the bench just eight minutes earlier, scoring his first of the season, and they held on for three points and eighth spot.

Carshalton Athletic got back to winning ways at Margate last time out, ending a long, long winless run- and the tenth place Robins hoped to build on that as twelfth place Whitehawk came to call. The Hawks had gone five league matches without a victory, but they went ahead in this one, new signing Cameron Tutt marking his debut with a goal on nineteen minutes. The visiting fans had hardly stopped celebrating when they were silenced, Bradley Williams making it one-one, and the next goal took until nine minutes from time to arrive, Danny Bassett finding the net to the delight of the hosts. That was that, the Robins looking more like their early-season selves and up to ninth.

Canvey Island started the weekend in eleventh place, and welcomed Potters Bar Town, who were a point from safety despite losing only one of their last ten. It was the visiting Scholars who made the breakthrough, Alieu Njie opening the scoring on eighteen minutes, and they were two up just before the break, Brandon Adams scoring for the third match in a row. The Gulls got a goal back just after the hour, Conor Hubble giving them hope, but hope was greatly reduced when the visitors made it three-one with seventeen minutes left, Temi Babalola with the Scholars third. Right at the end Babalola added a fourth, sending his side up to fifteenth and Gulls fans home with a headache.

The last time the sides met at the MovieStarr Stadium Canvey scored five without reply. Revenge was certainly served.

Lewes have been playing in Europe, and triumphed two-nil in Belgium in midweek, defeating KSK Beveren in the Fenix Trophy- but they needed to bring that form into their league campaign as they’d lost four of their last five, a run which had seen them slip down to fourteenth. The Rooks welcomed the side three places and two points behind them, Cheshunt, the Ambers in contrast on a four match unbeaten run- and their confidence was clear to see as they went ahead in the very first minute, Antonis Vasiliou with his fourth goal in his last four games. The Rooks fought back, although their equaliser was sadly an own goal on eighteen minutes- and they completed the turnaround twelve minutes after the break, Tommy Wood heading home his tenth of the season. That was that, Lewes up to twelfth, Cheshunt into the bottom four.

Finally, Margate welcomed Kingstonian and their Family Fun Day to Hartsdown Park. Both sides had been in terrible form of late- the Blues bottom of our ten match form table, with six points from thirty available, the K’s just a point better off during the same period- so we expected things to be tense, and the opening goal will have removed the fun from the day of most of the local families, as it went to Mason Saunders-Henry for the K’s just after the break. They’d have been more cheerful when Tyrone Sterling levelled just after the hour, and absolutely euphoric when Steve Cawley put the hosts ahead from the spot ten minutes from time- but Mark Stimson’s first win as Blues boss wasn’t to arrive, as the K’s levelled right at the end, Emmanuel Adebiyi with the equaliser.

A note to our clubs- if you believe that any of the goals scored by your side was worthy of consideration for the 'Goal of the Month Award,' please feel free to upload it now using the link you were sent, don't feel that you have to wait until the end of the month!

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