Urchins five points from the promised land

Hornchurch extended their lead at the top of Pitching In Isthmian Premier to fourteen points last night- and with second place Chatham Town only able to earn a maximum of eighteen points from their remaining matches, The Urchins have one hand- and, in truth, another three fingers- on the title. Hornchurch were expected to comfortably defeat bottom side Concord Rangers, but the Beachboys, fighting for their lives, ensured that their hosts didn’t have it all their own way- and indeed will be devastated not to have left Bridge Avenue with a point.

Rangers had their share of the chances in the first half, Harrison Day particularly dangerous, and both goalkeepers were busy- perhaps Urchins keeper Joe Wright with the most to do. After the break, however, visitors keeper Mason Terry came into his own, making several fine saves, and it looked as if the match would end goalless, only for Jack Taylor- making a second debut after returning from Sutton United on loan- to prove the match winner, heading home a corner from Tom Wraight with six added minutes already played.

Rangers are fifteen points from safety, although they have three games in hand. As for Hornchurch, if Chatham Town fall to defeat at Cray Wanderers on Friday afternoon the Urchins could take the title as early as Saturday- but given the Chats recent form that ‘if’ looks to be doing some heavy lifting!

Wingate and Finchley were buzzing after their added time win at Billericay at the weekend, and they were irresistible in the first half at Bognor Regis Town, taking a two-nil lead into half time in terrible conditions at the MKM Arena. The Blues went ahead after a foul on Elliot Long led to a penalty award, and Anointed Chukwu stepped up to score his sixteenth goal of the season with only fourteen minutes on the clock. Seven minutes before half time a left foot strike from Mathew Achuba made it two, and it looked a long way back for the Rocks, but they managed to climb that particular slippery slope after the break. First, on fifty two minutes, Dan Gifford managed to force the ball home from a corner, and then, with sixteen minutes to go, the same player drew the hosts level after a break down the left hand side. Both sides went looking for the winner but neither managed to find it, so a point apiece was the outcome. Wingate and Finchley stay fifth, two points clear of sixth place Dulwich Hamlet having played a game less- whilst Bognor are tenth, eight points further back.

Congratulations to the Rocks ground staff and volunteers (pictured courtesy of the club) for somehow finally getting the game on. And indeed congrats to ground staff across the league, who have faced insurmountable odds during the last few months.

Dulwich Hamlet closed to within two points of the top five following victory at Potters Bar Town. The Scholars had been in fine form, five unbeaten and having won their previous four, and they went ahead on seventeen minutes, Shane Cojocarel with the opener. Hamlet, with only one defeat in six, weren’t prepared to take that lying down and were quickly level, Danny Mills getting on the end of an Anthony Jeffrey cross- and Jeffery went from provider to marksman with the winner just after the hour, with Mills- of course- the provider. That turned out to be that, a result which saw the visitors climb to sixth, only two points behind Wingate & Finchley and three behind both Horsham and Enfield Town, although those three sides have a game in hand (two for the Hornets).

Finally, Margate travelled to Cheshunt for a match critical to their survival hopes. The Blues had fallen ten points behind the Ambers at kick off, and another defeat would have made survival look almost impossible- but the gap is now down to seven points as the visitors scored the only goal of the game. Margate striker Destiny Oladipo had a terrible start to his Blues career on Saturday, sent off within five minutes, but he made up for that by scoring the winner last night, twenty three minutes from time. It was a little scrappy, but nobody from the travelling contingent will have cared for one moment. With Cheshunt facing two of the top five in their next two fixtures, the visitors will take real hope from this outcome.

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