Urchins take over

Hornchurch welcomed Wingate and Finchley and put at risk their eight match unbeaten run- but it was never threatened, as two second half goals saw them ease to a two-nil win. The Urchins were missing their two top scorers, both Sam Higgins and Liam Nash unavailable, so others had to take on their scoring duties- and Charlie Stimson and Danny Green did just that, taking their side top in the process.

Former leaders Potters Bar Town were on the way to Sussex, to face mid table Horsham. The Scholars had a one hundred percent record from their trips to the county this season, but the Hornets had won five of the last six meetings between the two sides and had virtually wrapped up this one by half time. Tom Richards and Lucas Rodrigues had them two up by the half hour, and although Nick Dembele got one back on his Scholars debut six minutes before the break the two goal lead was quickly restored, Tom Kavanagh restoring the two goal lead. Tyler Christian-Law gave the visitors hope, curling the ball home with twenty two minutes remaining to make it three-two, but the eight hundred and fifty one watching on departed mostly delighted.

Bishop’s Stortford, a point behind the Scholars at start of play, were also on the road- in their case to Canvey Island. The Blues were eleven matches unbeaten in all competitions, and have delivered nine clean sheets across those performances, but both of those records departed in the second half at the Movie Starr Stadium, Bradley Sach and Evans Kouassi putting their names in the spotlight. That’s ten for the season for Kouassi, and the Gulls just outside the top five.

Aveley, were on the road to Cray Wanderers, each side defending a four match unbeaten run. The hosts defended theirs better, taking all three points with a late winner from Mitch Chapman. Wands went ahead nine minutes after the break, Tom Derry making the breakthrough, but eleven minutes from time Tom Stephen seemed to have earned the Millers a point. Chapman, however, had the last word- from twenty five yards- and his side closed to within three points of their visitors.

Enfield Town, in fifth, described their match with Hastings United as the “biggest in North London”- but it loked as if it was going to end goalless. Only three minutes remained when the hosts made the breakthrough, a Lewis Knight thunderbolt sending his side up to fourth.

Carshalton Athletic had won four of their previous five league matches by one goal to nil, and the Robins made it five from six when Tom Beere scored the only goal of the game at Bowers & Pitsea six minutes before the break. Athletic are now four points behind the top five with a game in hand, whilst Bowers remain in the bottom four.
Billericay Town have rapidly climbed the table of late. They travelled to Kingstonian having won their last five league matches- but the K’s were determined not to allow the Blues to make it six in a row, and delighted their fans with their fourth win of the campaign. Lee Lewis got the opener for the K’s on nineteen minutes, but Brad Stevenson’s ninth of the season drew the visitors level soon afterwards. Eight minutes before the break Kieron Cadogan restored home advantage, and that turned out to be the last of the goal action. K’s climb to thirteenth.

Lewes have looked greatly improved over recent weeks, but they had to come from behind to take a point at Brightlingsea Regent. Razz Coleman De-Graft has been in fine form for the Rooks of late, and he put them ahead with his seventh of the season with a shot that clipped the bar- but Regent, ten matches without a win, bounced back. Jermaine Anderson levelled on the half hour, running almost the entire length of the pitch to do so, and with twenty three minutes left Luke Woodward put the hosts in front- but they weren’t ahead for long, Alfie Young equalising seven minutes later. There were no further goals, but the match did have eight yellow cards.

We’d a match between two sets of seasiders as Margate welcomed Bognor Regis Town. The hosts went into the match on run which had seen them lose their last three, but two first half goals clinched this one, Ade Cole and debutant Ashley Nzala with the goals. Bognor did hit the post, but that was as good as it got for the Rocks.

Haringey Borough played host to Folkestone Invicta. The two matches between the sides last season brought thirteen goals, nine of them going the way of Invicta courtesy of a five-nil win and a four-four draw- and we had another high scoring game, but on this occasion all of the goals went the way of the hosts. Alphanso Kennedy opened the scoring after just two minutes, and in the closing stages an own goal and a third from Jorge Djassi-Sambu ensured a comfortable victory. Borough climb to fourteenth, Invicta are seventeenth.

Two of our bottom four met in Tolworth, as Corinthian-Casuals- under new management- welcomed Herne Bay. Three points separated the two at kick off, but Casuals had lost their last eleven matches in all competitions and were without a win since the opening day. That winless run came to an end, and it also ended the Herne Bay career of manager Ben Smith, who sadly resigned afterwards. Mo Cisse put the hosts ahead on seven minutes, but ten minutes before the break Tushaun Walters levelled the match. Bay had only three minutes to enjoy their parity before Cisse scored again, and seven minutes after the restart Elijah Simpson got a third for the side in pink and brown. Rory Smith quickly narrowed the gap, but despite Cisse’s late red card, that was as narrow as it got.

Casuals stay bottom, but both sides have eight points- and indeed there is but one point between the bottom four. Image from Andy Nunn.

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