Urchins hold their eleven point lead, Wingate shock Billericay, and Scholars hit six!

Whitehawk played host to our leaders, Hornchurch, the Urchins wishing to make sure they didn’t lose twice in a week on the Sussex coast. It took the visitors only two minutes to go ahead, Femi Akinwande with the opening goal after a corner was knocked on by Liam Nash, and Nash himself soon added a second, only eleven minutes on the clock. It was three-nil on nineteen minutes, Akinwande once more, and if there had been any chance of a Hawks comeback it ended on twenty six minutes when Nash added a fourth. The scoring stopped there, and eleven points remains the Urchins lead at the top, whilst the Hawks eight match unbeaten run lies in tatters- but they are unlikely to face a stronger opponent all season.

Chatham Town played host to Haringey Borough, the visitors, nine points from safety, needing to upset the apple cart. There were apples all over the place as Borough went ahead on three minutes, Matthew Young with the opener, but the hosts were soon level, Jack Evans getting the equaliser, and they went ahead just before the hour, Ashley Nzala completing the turnaround. In the closing stages both sides had a player sent off- keeper Dillon Barnes for the visitors, Miquel Scarlett for the hosts- but the tally of goals didn’t change. The Chats stay second. Borough are now twelve points from safety.

The match was used to promote the fine work of Prostate Cancer UK, as you can see in our image, from Max English.

Margate played host to Enfield Town, both sides rather desperate for points- the hosts as they tried to narrow the eight point gap between themselves and safety, the visitors as they tried to ensure a play off place. Gate brought in striker Destiny Oladipo in midweek, hoping to provide the goals which would fire them to safety, but it was his destiny to be dismissed after just five minutes of his debut, which must be something of a record, although not one he would have wanted. It was, then, even less surprise than usual when Oliver Knight put the visitors ahead on sixteen minutes, but the ten men fought back and equalised just before the break, Steve Cawley equalising from the spot. The goals ended there, and Gate perhaps did well to take a point with such a disadvantage, but they are now ten points from safety. Town stay third.

Horsham welcomed Hastings United for a Sussex derby. It was fourth v eighth, five points between them, the hosts knowing that defeat could see them drop out of the top five, the visitors aware that three points could see them end the day in a play off spot. It was the Hornets who made the breakthrough, being awarded a penalty which James Hammond despatched after twelve minutes, and nine minutes before the break the hosts made it two, former United man Daniel Ajakaiye damaging the hopes of his old club. The visitors got a goal back on the hour mark, Sam Cruttwell enlivening the travelling faithful, but that was as lively as they got, the Hornets holding on for a victory which opened up a six point gap between them and the side in sixth.

Billericay Town really needed the points if they were to get their play off chase back on track, but our seventh place side had a difficult task, as they welcomed opponents two places and one point better off, Wingate and Finchley. The Blues were soon ahead, however, Bradley Stevenson scoring his twenty first goal of the season on ten minutes- and that looked to be that, only it most certainly wasn’t! We were five minutes into added time at the end of the match when the visitors levelled, Zack Newton earning them a point- or so it seemed- but NINE minutes into added time they had turned defeat into victory, Joe Boachie somehow making it two-one to the visitors. Billericay will probably feel that they have been mugged, but they drop to eighth, four points behind their fifth place opponents having played two games more.

Bognor Regis Town played host to Dulwich Hamlet, both sides needing the points if they were to challenge for a play off place! Hamlet have Luke Wanadio in fine form, and he opened the scoring- his twentieth goal of the season- on fourteen minutes, this one from the spot. Four minutes into the second half, another penalty, another Wanadio goal, and two-nil to the visitors- could the Rocks come back? In a word, no. Hamlet are up to seventh, four points away from a play off place.

Lewes welcomed Concord Rangers, the visitors twelve points from safety at kick off with every match beginning to enter the category of ‘must win.’ Harrison Day has been their salvation for most of the season, and he opened the scoring from the spot on nineteen minutes, his sixteenth goal of the season, whilst the Rooks veteran Chris Whelpdale has also been impressive on many occasions, and was impressive once more when equalising ten minutes before the break. The Rooks went ahead just before the hour, Ola Ogunwamide making it two-one, and it was a turnaround they held onto, along with the accompanying three points. Rangers are now fifteen points from safety and need a miracle.

Potters Bar Town welcomed Kingstonian, and let everyone in for free. With the Scholars in such fine form the entertainment was always going to be value for money even had full price been charged, and the watching crowd waited only eleven minutes for the first goal to arrive, Temi Babalola opening the score for the hosts. It was two-nil within seven minutes, Ore Bello doubling the Scholars advantage, and the goals kept coming, Bello adding a third just before the half hour mark and Leigh Rose quickly adding a fourth. The K’s got a goal back with twenty four minutes left, Eddie Dsane- a man who really doesn’t deserve to be in a relegation battle- scoring for the twenty second time this season, but the Scholars went straight back up the other end and added a fifth, Shane Cojocarel on target. Fifteen minutes from time the hosts made it six-one, Kasim Aidoo showing no mercy, and the four hundred and sixty seven watching on certainly got far more than they’d paid for!

Canvey Island was the destination for Hashtag United, and Elliott Johnson scored the opening goal for the Gulls on twenty seven minutes. Only nine minutes later Bradley Sach made it two, but the Tags gave themselves a chance when Luke May-Parrott got a goal back a minute before half time. It was a chance they took, as four minutes from time was Teniola time, Alex Teniola stepping up to level. The Tags are twelfth, the Gulls sixteenth.

Cheshunt had opened up an eight point gap between themselves and the danger zone, but had promotion chasing Carshalton Athletic making the trip to North London with their eyes fixed firmly on a play off spot. The Ambers went ahead four minutes before the break, Nathaniel Orafu with the opener, and what they had, they held. That safety gap is now ten points.

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