Urchins hold their lead, and Chats win our match of the day to go second

Kingstonian looked to stop Hornchurch from extending their lead at the top of the table. The Urchins were eleven points clear at kick off but were aware that their two closest rivals were facing each other, so had the chance to possibly extend that gap- and they went ahead on twenty one minutes, Ollie Muldoon opening the scoring. Andy Somo has been the K’s biggest attacking threat this season, and a red card for him nine minutes before half time made the visitors task even easier. It took until the hour mark for the visitors to double their advantage, Ade Yusuff making it two-nil, and Yusuff quickly made it three-nil seven minutes later. That was that- and the gap remains eleven points.

Incidentally, Hornchurch are now the only side in the top seven tiers of the English football pyramid yet to suffer a defeat- and they also have by far the best goal difference, an incredible +37.

Chatham Town welcomed Enfield Town as third hosted second. The Chats went ahead on twenty two minutes, Jack Evans with the opener, but the Towners were level within three minutes, Sam Youngs with his with his fifteenth of the season. Parity lasted just three minutes, Jamie Yila putting the Chats ahead from the spot, and Chris Dickson added a third with fourteen minutes to go. The Chats climb to second, Town down to third.

Margate, with Dartford loanee Olly Box back in the side after his return to the club for a second spell, welcomed Billericay Town to Hartsdown Park- and they were far too welcoming in the early stages, Bradley Stevenson putting the visitors ahead after only eight minutes, a fourteenth of the season for the Blues number seven. Just before the break Town broke through the Gate defence once more, Frankie Merrifield making it two-nil, and it was game over with nineteen minutes left, Alfie Cerulli making it three-nil. Margate did get one back, Steve Cawley from the spot with eleven minutes left, but it was no more than a consolation.

Carshalton Athletic had only one win from eight matches as Wingate & Finchley came to call, and it was the Blues who went ahead, Anointed Chukwu with the goal just before half time. It took only five minutes for the visitors to add to their lead, Elliot Long making it two-nil, but the Robins made things interesting when Olu Babajide got one back with twenty four minutes left. Sadly for the home fans, Long added a third for the visitors almost immediately, but the Robins weren’t yet finished and Matt Everitt reduced the arrears with twelve minutes left. That turned out to be that, the Blues in fifth, the Robins down to ninth.

Hastings United and Canvey Island went forty two minutes without a goal, before delivering two in the next three minutes. Both went to the Gulls, Jamie Salmon and Elliott Ronto stunning the home support, and try as they might there was no way back for United, two-nil the final score. United are sixth, Canvey tenth.

Cheshunt won five-four on Tuesday night, and we were never likely to have another nine goal thriller as Hashtag United came to call. Indeed it took forty eight minutes for the opener to arrive, and it went to the visitors, Alex Teniola hoping to set the Tags on the way to a third successive league win- but the Ambers were quickly level, Taylor Miles making it one-one. The goals stopped there, the Tags ending the day in seventh, the Ambers in eighteenth.

Lewes welcomed Haringey Borough to the Dripping Pan. Borough had one defeat and four draws from their previous five, but needed three points, and went ahead on thirteen minutes- Georgios Aresti opening the scoring. The second half had hardly started when Chris Whelpdale levelled for the hosts, and with twenty five minutes left the turnaround was complete, Ola Ogunwamide making it two-one. Whelpdale has delivered some fine performances this season, and had another goal with twenty minutes to go, the Rooks taking a three-one lead. It became something of a rout when Tommy Wood added a fourth six minutes from time, and that was how it ended, the Rooks up to eleventh. Images from James Boyes.

Concord Rangers were finally back in action, Horsham the visitors. The Hornets, with an FA Cup Second Round tie to look forward to next weekend, went ahead nine minutes before the break, Charlie Hester-Cook with the goal- but the Beachboys levelled five minutes later, Duane Acheampong the scorer. That was that, the Hornets eighth, their hosts on the bottom.

Cray Wanderers and Dulwich Hamlet didn’t manage a goal in the first half, but they quickly saw one after the break, a Luke Wanadio spot kick putting the visitors ahead. Wands levelled with fourteen minutes left, Gary Lockyer with the equaliser, and both sides had to be happy with a point.

Folkestone Invicta announced Andy Drury as their new boss just before kick off in their match against Bognor Regis Town, but the travelling Rocks- trying to bounce back from that home thrashing against South Park in the Trophy in midweek- didn’t give Drury a good start to his spell as boss, going ahead after just seven minutes. Jasper Mather made the breakthrough. The Rocks held onto their lead, and climb above their hosts into thirteenth.

Potters Bar Town have made themselves difficult to defeat in recent weeks, but although they only had one defeat from eight, only two of those matches had brought them three points. The Scholars went ahead on sixty six minutes against Whitehawk, Temi Babalola opening the scoring, and this time they held onto that lead for three points, a result which leaves them in nineteenth.

A note to our clubs- if you believe that any of the goals scored by your side was worthy of consideration for the 'Goal of the Month Award,' please feel free to upload it now using the link you were sent, don't feel that you have to wait until the end of the month!

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