The Urchins extend their lead- and the Scholars deliver the comeback of the day

Hornchurch started the weekend with a nine point lead and three games in hand over their closest rivals, and with the swagger that comes with seven successive wins. Their visitors were fourth place Billericay Town, the travelling Blues desperately needing points as they tried to prevent their season from unravelling, having taken only one point from previous six matches. That run had seen the gap between them and the chasing pack narrow, to the extent that another defeat could have seen them drop down to seventh- and they fell behind on twenty eight minutes, Femi Akinwande putting the Urchins ahead. The visitors didn’t crumble, however, and they levelled with twenty five minutes to go, Alfie Cerulli with the equaliser- but parity lasted eight minutes before Ryan Scott, up from the back, got his eleventh goal of the season to restore home advantage. Only four minutes later Sean Scannell made it three-one, and right at the end another from Akinwande made it four.

Hornchurch go eleven points clear- whilst the Blues drop down to sixth, one of three sides on fifty five points.

Second place Chatham Town had a trip to the seaside, where they took on eighth place Hastings United. The Chats had opened up an impressive eleven point gap between themselves and third place at kick off, but had only eight matches left to overhaul Hornchurch, so three points this weekend looked to be a must if their title chase was to continue. United were without a win from their previous three, so were also be rather focused on victory as they attempted to reinvigorate their play off hopes. The match was still goalless when the hosts went down to ten men with twenty one minutes left, Tommie Fagg the recipient of the red card, but it was Hastings who broke the deadlock with only four minutes left, albeit via an own goal. The Chats never say die spirit showed once more, however, Chris Dickson equalising three minutes into added time- but they lose further ground on Hornchurch, who won.

United drop to ninth.

Wingate and Finchley finally got to take on Bognor Regis Town, only on their own patch, after their trip to Nyewood Lane was postponed for the third time in midweek (and rescheduled for March 26th). The Blues, in third place, started the day top of what appears to be a mini-league to take a play off place, and with only four points between third and seventh at kick off- and indeed only six between third and ninth- couldn't take anything for granted at this point. They made their task more difficult in first half added time, Ruben Carvalho seeing red along with his manager, and just how difficult became apparent when the visitors went ahead fourteen minutes from time, Matt Burgess with the opening goal. That turned out to be the only goal, and it saw Wingate drop to fourth- only a point ahead of Carshalton, Billericay and Horsham. Bognor are tenth, six points further back.

Fifth place at start of play, Horsham travelled to face the side attempting to relieve them of that play off spot, Enfield Town, the Towners a point and a place behind. The Hornets wanted to quickly bounce back from their defeat against Carshalton Athletic last weekend, their second defeat in four after a previous unbeaten run, whilst the Towners were five unbeaten- although three of those ended level. The Hornets went ahead on nineteen minutes through Daniel Ajakaiye, but the Towners leading scorer Marcus Wyllie’s twenty fifth of the season saw them level twelve minutes later.

It looked like we’d go into the break level, but Town had other ideas, and three minutes into added time Sam Youngs got his twenty second of the campaign, this one with his head, to make it two-one. That’s how it ended, a result which lifted the Towners into third, and saw the Hornets drop to seventh.

Carshalton Athletic knew that victory over struggling Margate might see them leap into the top five, the Robins with Horsham and Billericay Town in their sights. The Robins had lost only one of their last ten and looked well placed for a run at a play off spot, and went ahead four minutes before half time, Kwaku Frimpong opening the scoring. The Robins added a second four minutes into the second half, Charlie Kennett doubling their advantage, and they were home and dry when Luke Read added a third seventeen minutes from time- and they took that fifth spot. Margate have now lost nine of their last ten, and are five points from safety.

Dulwich Hamlet, in ninth at kick off, haven’t yet given up on their top five hopes, and you could say the same for visitors Lewes, who were one point and two places further back at kick off. With a six/seven point gap to make up victory looked rather important for both sides.

Hamlet came into thus one having lost only one of their previous nine, whilst Lewes had three wins from ten, so perhaps it wasn’t too much of a surprise when Luke Wanadio opened the scoring after just three minutes. Hamlet doubled their lead when Danny Mills made it two six minutes before half time, and they held onto it, moving to within three points of the top five.

There is no truth in the rumour that Rooks Supporters Club match reporter Barry Collins, who upset the home fans with his report after a Rooks knockout win at Champion Hill earlier in the season, went in disguise as a hipster in the hope that he wouldn’t be recognised. Actually, he always dresses like that.

Hashtag United have looked rather impressive in recent weeks, and were five unbeaten in the league going into their match with Potters Bar Town- and had also won Velocity Cup Quarter and Semi-Finals over the last fortnight. The Tags were only seven points away from the top five at kick of so won’t have given up on their hopes of a double promotion, and they were quickly ahead against the Scholars, Max Cornhill opening the scoring on eight minutes as his side looked for revenge for their five-nil hammering at the Lantern Stadium in January. On nineteen minutes the Tags made it two, Nathan Smith doubling their advantage, but that finally roused the Scholars, who were six unbeaten at kick off, and Leigh Rose quickly got one back, before Ore Bello levelled from distance just after the half hour mark. The turnaround was complete when Valckx Fernandes headed home to make it three-two to the visitors on fifty four minutes, and the Scholars held on to complete a double and take three fine points back around the M25.

Image from Nicky Hayes.

Cray Wanderers saw their long unbeaten home record ended by Potters Bar Town in midweek, but hoped to get back to winning ways as they travelled to Haringey Borough. Borough found themselves third from bottom, but had suddenly found some form and were looking for a third successive home win, however a red card on sixteen minutes didn’t help their cause, Nadum Melvin-Lambert dismissed for a rather ridiculous challenge. Wands took advantage two minutes into added time at the end of the first half, Ellis Brown opening the scoring, and they doubled their advantage six minutes after the break, David Ijaha with their second. A third wasn’t far behind, George Porter with that one, and on seventy six minutes Anthony Cook made it four. Borough are now six points from safety.

Whitehawk travelled to take on bottom side Kingstonian. The Hawks took a six match unbeaten run to Imperial Fields, whilst the K’s started the day nine points from safety so surely this match must have come under the heading of ‘must win-’ but the hosts couldn’t have had a worse start, as Imran Kayani put the visitors ahead after just three minutes. The K’s didn’t let their heads fall and levelled on twenty three minutes, Eddie Dsane making it one-one, but the Hawks led once more when Kayani added a second twenty three minutes from time, and they got a third soon afterwards, Charlie Walker with that one. Kayani had his hat trick six minutes from time, making it four-one. Hawks are fourteenth, the K’s now twelve points from safety- and losing to these opponents for the third time this season.

The sides are scheduled to meet again on April 16th.

Folkestone Invicta welcomed Canvey Island, seventeenth v fifteenth. With one defeat from five Invicta were slowly putting daylight between themselves and the bottom four, and they broke the deadlock in this one just after the hour, Tom Derry opening the scoring. That turned out to be the only goal, and the gap between Invicta and danger is now fourteen points. The Gulls are one point better off.

We had a big relegation battle as Cheshunt welcomed Concord Rangers. The Ambers had a two point cushion between themselves and the bottom four at kick off, and a six point lead over the visiting Beachboys, but Rangers do have four games in hand and victory would have been a real boost to their survival ambitions. The Ambers, who defeated Rangers three-nil earlier this month, were quickly ahead in this one, Nathaniel Orafu on seven minutes, and then doubled their advantage midway through the first half, Nnamdi Nwachuku taking his tally for the season to fourteen with a beauty from wide left. Rangers decided they would make a match of it, and shortly after the start of the second half Harrison Day halved the arrears, but the equaliser didn’t arrive and the Ambers open up a five point gap between themselves and the drop zone. Rangers are nine points behind their hosts.

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