The Curfews remain nine clear- as six of the top seven triumph

Leaders Chertsey Town opened up a nine point gap at the top when hammering Guernsey in midweek, and the Curfews would have been confident of another three points as bottom side Corinthian-Casuals make the trip to Alwyns Lane. They were right to be confident, as it took them only three minutes to go ahead, Reece Robins with the goal- and they had a second on the quarter hour mark, Gianluca Botti scoring his twenty fifth of the season. It looked to be game over when Conor Lee added a third just before the hour, but the Curfews made their own lives a little more difficult when Chad Goulter saw red soon afterwards. Not much more difficult, however, as the added a fourth through Oliver McCoy- although the visitors got a consolation five minutes into added time, Aderi Arthur-Dede pulling it back to four-one. That was how it ended, and the nine point gap at the top remained- whilst Casuals are now eleven points from safety.

Image from Chertsey Town FC photos.

Second place Marlow were on the road to face second bottom Binfield. Two defeats from their last four didn’t detract too much from the fact that the other eight of their last ten matches ended in victory, but those defeats had let Chertsey open up a gap, and Marlow did not want it to get any wider. They went ahead after only four minutes, Louis Rogers opening the scoring, and doubled their lead in first half injury time through Dawid Rogalski’s thirty fourth goal of the season.

Binfield are a tougher proposition these days than the side who Marlow hit for eight earlier in the season, and the Moles got a goal back soon after the restart, Manuchim Oke-William giving them hope, but their hope was to remain unfulfilled, the visitors holding on for three points. The Moles are now ten points from safety, and six without a win.

Third place Leatherhead were in the Channel Islands, taking on Guernsey. The Tanners had lost only two of their previous ten, whilst Guernsey were hoping to quickly bounce back from their midweek hammering at the hands of the leaders, but were in fine form prior to that, with four wins from five. It was the visitors who made the breakthrough on twenty five minutes, Trevan Robinson’s fourteenth of the season- and he had a fifteenth ten minutes later, but the Green Lions hit back five minutes before half time, Brandon Wallace giving the home fans hope. That hope diminished on the hour mark when Daniel Hector added a third for the Tanners, and it certainly departed altogether when Omarr Lawson added a fourth twelve minutes from time, confirming a double for the visitors.

Southall had been on a poor run by their standards, one win from five seeing them slip down the table. The All, in fourth, were on the road to the side one place and six points behind them, Raynes Park Vale- Vale also having their problems of late, having lost their last two. It was the hosts who were quickly ahead, Jordan Stepney opening the scoring on eight minutes, and it was two-nil when Jordan Gallagher scored from the spot with fourteen minutes left- and that’s how it ended, a result which ensured Vale stay fifth, as well as closing the gap on their visitors to three points.

Westfield hoped to grab fifth spot, but they knew that they would need to win at Ascot United to have a real chance of doing that. Field had only one defeat from ten although they’d slowed down a little with only one win from four, that victory arriving against Hanworth Villa last weekend- but they didn’t look all that slow when they broke through the Yellas rearguard on twelve minutes, Jordan Alves continuing his recent fine form and scoring for the fourth match in a row. It soon got even better for the visitors, as home keeper Mark Scott was shown a red card on twenty one minutes, and they doubled their advantage in first half added time, Manolis Gogonas with their second. Gogonas got the third, too, twelve minutes from time and from the spot, but they stay sixth- a point behind Raynes Park Vale with a game in hand.

Ashford Town played host to seventh place South Park Reigate. The Tangerines were eleven points clear of the bottom two at kick off, and were impressive in winning four-one at Sutton Common Rovers last time out; whilst the Sparks ended a four match winless run by hitting six against Hartley Wintney, and won’t have given up on a play off spot just yet. The visitors broke the deadlock just before the hour, Jamarie Brissett with the opener, and as it turned out that was that- the Sparks six points away from the top five, the Tangerines remaining eleven points clear of danger.

Hartley Wintney wanted to put their thrashing at the hands of South Park quickly behind them as they welcomed the side one point and one place behind them, Thatcham Town- and they couldn’t have had a better start, Tayo Oyebola putting them ahead in the very first minute. They held the lead for only eighteen minutes, however, Clive Gwavava with the equaliser, and the Kingfishers took the lead three minutes before half time through Basim Mirtahmasebi- but they couldn’t hold onto it, a Connor Lynch spot kick in added time leaving the sides level at the break, as Gwavava saw red. Eleven v ten for the second half should have given the Row an advantage, but they couldn’t take it, and on seventy two minutes they also went down to ten, Charlie Wagstaffe seeing red. A draw was the final outcome, as neither side managed another goal.

Hanworth Villa welcomed Sutton Common Rovers. The Villains started the day with a twelve point gap to make up on fifth place, and saw a five match unbeaten run come to an end against Westfield last time out, so really needed a win to give their promotion hopes a push- but they went behind on twenty three minutes, Jayden Smith with the opener. Villa levelled just before the break, Kyen Nicholas making it one-one, and they completed the turnaround seven minutes into the second half, Guy Ansah-Palmer making it two-one. The Villains held on for three points, and are tenth.

Uxbridge travelled to Chipstead. The Chips were desperate for points, as whilst they had a seven point lead over second bottom Binfield they’d played two games more, and were without a win since New Years Day- that’s twelve matches, from which they'd amassed three points. It looked like today might be their day when Daniel Berry put them ahead on fifty four minutes, and it looked even more likely when Jack Leahy made it two-nil with eighteen minutes left. At the end the home fans celebrated, as their side had increased their gap over Binfield to ten points.

Badshot Lea were finally be back at home- they previously managed to play a home league match on February 6th- and hoped to get back to winning ways as Northwood come to call. The Baggies, who started the day in twelfth, have as many as five games in hand over the sides around them, and they went ahead in this one just after the start of the second half, Tane Caubo opening the scoring. Caubo added a second for his side just before the hour, and the points were wrapped up when Lamin Ceesay added a third with twelve minutes left. There was still time for a fourth, Kareem Akinibbi in added time, and that was that.

The two sides are about to get very well acquainted, as the return fixture is scheduled for Tuesday evening.

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