Towners are top on Tuesday!

Cheshunt and Billericay Town both have ambitions of a return to National League South, the Ambers following recent relegation and the Blues after a year back at our level. It was Billericay who broke the deadlock and temporarily silenced the home crowd after just four minutes, Frankie Merrifield, a champion last season with Bishop’s Stortford, with his first goal in a new blue. That turned out to be the only goal of the game, and the Blues have now won both of their matches one-nil, ending the day in fourth.

Whilst Billericay were moving ahead at Cheshunt, not too many miles away Enfield Town were doing the same at Potters Bar Town, Jake Cass opening the scoring. The lead was doubled midway through the first half, Marcus Wyllie with the second, and that remained the score at the break, although the yellow card score was rather bigger, three each.

Four hundred and fifty nine lit up the Lantern Stadium, but they were given no more goals to cheer- not that the travelling Towners would have minded as their side went top on goal difference.

Ten minutes into the Sussex derby between Whitehawk and Hastings United the hosts were struck with a heavy blow, former Hastings hero Jack Dixon seeing red for the Hawks. Five hundred and forty six were in attendance, and most of them will have been rather upset when the Hawks went down to nine, another former Hastings man, Ryan Worrall, the next to see red with eleven minutes to go. The nine men dug in and held out, and the game ended goalless.

Bognor Regis Town welcomed Carshalton Athletic and, rather eerily, six hundred and sixty six supporters. The Robins were big winners at the weekend, but they were quickly behind at Nyewood Lane, Craig Robson giving the home faithful something to sing about after just nine minutes. The equaliser arrived just before the break, and it went to Kwaku Frimpong, his second of the season- and before the referee could signal everyone off for a half time orange segment Destiny Oladipo also made it two in two by putting his side head.

The Rocks levelled just before the hour, Lucas Pattenden with the goal, and with seventeen minutes left the turnaround was complete, Tommy-Lee Higgs putting the hosts ahead. Could they hold on? They couldn’t. With just two minutes to go Aaron Lamont levelled for the visitors, and that was that.

Image from Martin Denyer. More here.

When Hornchurch last welcomed Margate to Bridge Avenue they went two-nil up before losing three-two, so the Urchins won’t have been complacent at all when Liam Nash put them ahead midway through the first half. Ben Greenhalgh scored two of the Blues goals on that March afternoon, and he got another to equalise three minutes before the break.

Most of the five hundred and thirty eight watching on would have been delighted when Nash restored their lead just after the hour, and they might have relaxed just a little when Ryan Scott made it three-one ten minutes from time. They’d have been almost horizontal when Tom Wraight made it four in the last minute. The Urchins are second.

Folkestone Invicta had a fine start to the campaign, winning four-nil on the road at the weekend, but looked to have a more difficult task as they hosted Chatham Town. Andre Coker gave the Stripes the lead on twenty four minutes, but the Chats were level five minutes after the restart, Ashley Nzala with the equaliser, and soon ahead, Ben Allen, on from the bench at half time, scoring on his debut. Just when it seemed the visitors had taken the points, they had only one, Ira Jackson with a last-gasp leveller- but the match wasn’t over. Up the other end we went, and Jamie Yila, who scored the winner on Saturday, did it again, making it three-two and delivering three points for the visitors.

Seven hundred and fifty eight watched on, most of them shellshocked as the Chats went third.

We had an Essex derby as Concord Rangers hosted Hashtag United, and the Tags went in front after fifteen minutes, Sam Cornish, who we suspect puts jam on his scone before the cream, with the opening goal. It was Teniola time five minutes before the break, Alex Teniola putting his side two up, but soon after the restart the hosts got back into the match, Harrison Day improving their night. It wasn’t improved for long, Luke Ige seeing red, and Toby Aromolaran quickly took advantage, scoring the visitors third- and they got a fourth with fourteen minutes to go, Misha Djemaili delighting the visiting faithful, actual and virtual, guaranteeing three points and seventh place.

Dulwich Hamlet welcomed a cast of thousands- well, one thousand five hundred and thirty nine, to Champion Hill for the visit of Canvey Island, and Pingling had most of them tingling (sorry) on the half hour, Richard Pingling putting the hosts ahead. The bad news kept coming for the Gulls, Lordon Akolbire seeing red just before the break, a second yellow for a shirt pull on Danny Mills.

The ten men were soon two down, Michael Chambers doubling Hamlet’s advantage two minutes after the restart, but they hit back almost immediately, Joe Paxman with the goal. The two goal cushion was soon restored, however, Manny Parry with Hamlet’s third, and a fourth arrived soon afterwards, Jerome Binnom-Williams adding that one. That was that, Hamlet in sixth.

Haringey Borough took a two goal lead into the last twenty minutes of their match with Canvey at the weekend only to lose, but they were ahead once more as they welcomed Wingate & Finchley to Coles Park, Michael O’Donoghue opening the scoring on thirty three minutes. They weren’t ahead for long, however, Anointed Chukwu levelling for the Blues only two minutes later- and they were once again undone by a late goal, Zack Newton sending Wingate back to Finchley with three points with the last kick of the ball.

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