Top Scholars!

Bognor Regis Town sat on the top of the table at the start of the day, but we expected that the Rocks may have a testing afternoon in prospect nonetheless, as they welcomed Potters Bar Town to Nyewood Lane. The Scholars certainly weren’t overawed by the noise generated by the home faithful, as they went ahead eleven minutes before the break when Quentin Monville found the bottom corner, and five minutes later Finlay Titchmarsh made it two, a lead they held into the break.

The Rocks weren’t finished. Tom Chalaye came on from the bench and got one back with twenty minutes left, but they couldn’t find an equaliser. Six hundred and ninety seven watched on, and the Scholars went top. Image from Tommy McMillan- more here.

Unbeaten Lewes were on the road to Corinthian-Casuals. The side in pink and brown had taken seven points from their last nine against these opponents, so their fans wouldn’t have been devoid of confidence, and it seemed rightly so when Ben Cheklit put them ahead after fifteen minutes. The Rooks levelled eight minutes from time, Joe Taylor with the equaliser, and they end the day in third. Image from James Boyes- more here.

The other unbeaten side, Folkestone Invicta, were on the road to Billericay Town, and by half time it looked as if that unbeaten record had gone, Bradley Stevenson and Jacob Bancroft giving the Blues a two-nil advantage. Adam Yusuff had other ideas, and got his second in two on the hour to give his side a boost, and in the last ten minutes the visitors turned the game on its head, Ibrahim Olutade scoring twice to send the Kent side up to fourth and leave the home fans shattered. Billericay are nineteenth.

Hornchurch travelled to face another Essex side, Canvey Island, and after a goalless first half we had a goal within five minutes of the restart- and it went to the Urchins, Remi Sutton giving them the lead. That sparked the Gulls into life- and how! A red card from Joe Christou for the Urchins gave them hope. Four minutes from time Danny Parish drew them level, and then right before the end Bradley Sach sealed three home points.

Carshalton Athletic , impressive in defeating Horsham on the road last weekend, were back at Colston Avenue to face Haringey Borough. The visitors- who had taken only one point from their three opening matches- had a terrible first few minutes, losing Michael O’Donoghue to a red card, but the ten men went ahead eight minutes before the break, Anthony Mendy with the goal. Despite pressure from the Robins they held out- eighty three minutes plus added time with ten men- to take three points back to White Hat Lane. Borough hadn’t managed a victory against these opponents the last four times they’d met- they’ll enjoy this one.

Aveley had a brilliant start to the season before being badly derailed in that match against Bognor last weekend. The Millers were on the road to Wingate & Finchley, the Blues still looking for their first win of the campaign- and it was Wingate who struck first, Loic Hernandez opening the scoring on twelve minutes. The equaliser arrived just before the half time whistle, Kenny Aileru drawing the Millers level, and they went ahead four minutes after the restart, Benas Vaivada making it two-one. Despite home pressure they held out, and are up to second place.

Herne Bay’s match with Kingstonian was moved to Ramsgate due to ongoing pitch work at Winch’s Field, but it didn’t seem to hamper them in the early stages, as they went in at the break a goal to the good, Chris Edwards with that on twenty seven minutes. They looked to have taken all three points, but the K’s made it four draws from four with a Tyrese Owen equaliser four minutes from time.

Hastings United were hoping to pick up a win- their first- against a side who got their first three pointer last time out, Brightlingsea Regent. It didn’t look good for the hosts when Luke Skinner put Regent ahead after just seven minutes, but Gillingham loanee Joe Gbode grabbed the equaliser ten minutes later, and just before the break a more familiar name, Sam Hasler, put United ahead. The second half saw the home side delight most of the one thousand, one hundred and seventy six in attendance, Gbode becoming an instant hero with a second and James Hull making it four-one just before the end.

Finally, Enfield Town welcomed Bowers & Pitsea. The Towners had two draws and a defeat from their first three matches, whilst Bowers picked up their first points with a win over Herne Bay last time out, and would have been hoping to push on from that result. The Towners, who won both encounters last season, went ahead in this one, Lyle Della-Verde opening the scoring in the twenty eighth minute- and they doubled their advantage five minutes from time, Jake Cass with their second. A red card for Ryan Kirwan right at the end made no difference to the outcome.

We also had two matches on Friday night. You can read about the one-one draw between Bishop's Stortford and Cray Wanderers here, as we covered it; whilst on the Kent coast Margate and Horsham also played out a one-one draw. Both goals came within a two minute spell- Fjord Rogers put the hosts ahead on the hour, with Lucas Rodrigues hitting back almost immediately for the Hornets.

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