Towners go top- as Urchins slip to fifth

Our first- of many- big matches saw an Essex derby, as leaders Hornchurch took on fourth place Aveley. Only one point separated them at kick off, and given the Urchins vulnerability of late the Millers undoubtedly fancied their chances of completing a league double- and they went ahead midway through the first half, Ollie Coker the scorer with a fabulous free kick. The Urchins levelled just before the hour, Sam Higgins scoring from the spot, but the Millers were soon ahead again through Manny Ogunrinde (pictured) and held on for victory. The Urchins drop to fifth- but they are only two points behind the leaders with a game in hand.

Our headline image comes from Lambpix.

Enfield Town were at home for the second time this week as our third place side welcomed sixth place Carshalton Athletic. The Towners, in fine form with four wins from their previous five, went ahead in the very first minute, Andre Coker giving them the perfect start with his eighth goal of the season. On twenty seven minutes Lewis Knight made it two- the second headed goal of the afternoon for the hosts, and the score remained unchanged until Tommy Bradford pulled one back and set up a grandstand finish with twenty six minutes left. The next goal went to the hosts, Jake Cass with it, and Cass got another just before the end as his side hit the top of the table and clinched a fourth win in a row against the Robins.

Second place Cray Wanderers hosted the Tony Russell derby, as their former boss returned once more with Lewes. Wands, who had lost only one of their last ten matches, went ahead on thirteen minutes through a Tom Derry header, and doubled their advantage ten minutes before the break as former Rook Dajon Golding came back to haunt his former admirers. The Rooks got back into the game quickly after the restart, Ryan Gondoh pulling a goal back, and the comeback was complete as Joe Taylor came back to do some haunting of his own with an equaliser on fifty four minutes- his twenty fourth of the season. That was that, Wands slipping to third.

Bishop’s Stortford, who started the day in fifth, were on the road to Tooting, where they faced Kingstonian- the K’s struggling with only one win from their last ten matches. It took the Blues only four minutes to go ahead, Matt Johnson with the opener, and on twenty minutes the visiting faithful were worshipping at the altar of Anthony Church as he made it two. If the next goal was all-important the game was effectively over for the hosts as it went to Stortford, Ryan Henshaw just before the hour, and it was four-nil on sixty five minutes, David Olufemi scoring from the spot. Another spot kick and another Olufemi finish made it five, and that was that- the Blues up to fourth, the K’s seventeenth.

Canvey Island hoped to climb back into the top five with victory over Herne Bay- and they got that victory, but they didn't quite manage to break into the play off places. The Gulls, three unbeaten, hadn’t played since a win over Hornchurch on January 14th- whilst Bay had suddenly found form, winning two matches in a row for the first time this season. Canvey went ahead on eleven minutes, Bradley Sach making it fourteen for the season, and just over a quarter of an hour later Conor Hubble made it two from the spot after a foul on Sach. Bay then got themselves back into the match, Rory Smith pulling a goal back, and completed the comeback they Kymani Thomas levelled nineteen minutes from time. The Gulls then saw Elliott Ronto dismissed, but Bay soon joined them on ten men as Mason Saunders-Henry also headed down the tunnel- and the game still had time for a goal. It went to the hosts, Jamie Salmon grabbing the winner right at the death, leaving them in sixth place.

Billericay Town, three points away from the top five after their midweek defeat at Enfield Town, were on the road again, this time to Horsham. The Hornets were six matches unbeaten and undoubtedly wanted revenge after losing that five-three thriller earlier this season, and they went ahead just before the break, Jack Brivio opening the scoring. Three minutes after the restart it was two-nil, Harvey Sparks doubling home advantage and delighting the home fans amongst the one thousand and ninety two watching on, and they were even more delighted when Daniel Ajakaiye made it three just after the hour, running from his own half to finish. Marvel Ekpiteta got one back for the Blues with seven minutes left, but that was that- and the Hornets are only a point behind their visitors and six away from the top five.

Folkestone Invicta, our form team at kick off, had the longest trip of all as they headed to Brightlingsea Regent. Invicta had closed to within five points of the top five with a run of sixteen points from their last eighteen, whilst bottom side Regent had shown signs of a revival of late and strengthened with the signing of striker Tom Richardson, back at the club he helped fire to the Premier Division a few years ago. Regent hadn’t defeated Invicta in six attempts, but went ahead just before the break- and of course it was Richardson who broke the deadlock. They were only briefly ahead, however, Ibrahim Olutade levelling before the break- and four minutes into the second half Ira Jackson put the visitors in front. The hosts drew level with twenty four minutes to go, Suleymen Zuhdu making it two-two, and two minutes from time it was pandemonium for the home faithful as Zack Littlejohn headed home to make it three-two. That was that, and Regent move off the bottom and close to within four points of safety.

Hastings United hoped to put Monday’s defeat at Aveley behind them as they travelled to Haringey Borough. United were in fine form in December but have had an indifferent January, whilst you never know quite what you’re going to get from Borough- but we got an opening goal from them today, Georgios Aresti scoring just before the break. Ben Allen made it two with seventeen minutes left, and that was that.

Potters Bar Town had taken only one point from their previous six matches and plummeted down the table accordingly. The Scholars headed to Essex to face a side who started the day four points from safety, Bowers & Pitsea, and it was the hosts who lit up the Len Salmon on the half hour when former Lewes man TQ Addy opened the scoring. Scholars goalkeeper Dante Baptiste created his own inferno when earning a red card with fifteen minutes to go, handling outside the area, and the hosts doubled their advantage almost immediately from the free kick, Antony Papadopoulos with his second goal this week. The visitors then went down to nine, Kasim Aidoo also departing early, and Bowers close to within a point of safety.

Margate, in sixteenth at start of play, welcomed a side two places and three points behind them, Wingate & Finchley arriving at Hartsdown Park knowing that victory would take them above their hosts. The hosting Blues had really had the blues of late, eight matches without a win, but they were ahead after seventeen minutes through Sam Blackman and Ade Cole doubled their lead on the half hour. With seventeen minutes left Dernell Wynter got a goal back for the visitors, but their hope was quickly extinguished as Phil Roberts made it three. Gate have put seven points between themselves and the bottom four- their visitors have a much more worrying advantage, just one point.

Corinthian-Casuals gave a Tolworth welcome to Bognor Regis Town, both sides looking for points. It took the visiting Rocks only six minutes to go ahead. The form of Nathan Odokonyero has undoubtedly been the highlight of a mediocre Nyewood Lane season for the Rocks faithful, and he got his twentieth goal of the campaign early on. It took only three more minutes for the hosts to equalise, Simbarashe Kudyiwa with his first Casuals goal, but the killer goal arrived four minutes from time- and it went to the Rocks, Matt Paterson delivering their first win in eight matches.

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