Urchins wallop Blues, Invicta held, Hornets triumph- and Jammers winning run extends to twelve

Premier Division

Folkestone Invicta started yesterday at the top of the league, and they ended it there too- but only just! Travelling to Wingate and Finchley they fell behind just after the hour, Olu Oluwatimilehin putting the Blues ahead, and although Josh Vincent was able to grab an equaliser both sides left Summers Lane with a point.

Only a point behind the Stripes are the Urchins, and they closed the gap in emphatic style with a four-nil walloping of Bishop’s Stortford. The wheels have certainly fallen off the Stortford bus of late, and this was their third defeat in a row- a Matt Johnson double sandwiching a Chris Dickson double for Hornchurch.

Horsham travelled to Cheshunt and an own goal for the Ambers lifted the Hornets into third place. Cheshunt ended the match with nine men after Mark Hughes and Mo Camara both managed to pick up two yellow cards, and as such a red. What a fine start Horsham have had on their return to out top flight.

Enfield Town are now unbeaten in five matches, and yesterday got their fourth win of that run as they defeated Merstham two-nil at Donkey Lane. A goal in each half did the damage, Ryan Blackman and Muhammadu Faal finding the net- the latter for the fourth successive match; but Faal was later sent off, and was joined in the changing rooms by Edwin Mensah for the Moatsiders.

Bognor Regis Town came into their match with Haringey Borough with a number of their fans in crisis mode after four consecutive defeats, but the Rocks found form once more to climb the table, whilst the visitors fell to fifth. Tommy Leigh and Jimmy Muitt scored both goals as Bognor ran out two-nil winners.

East Thurrock United are sixth. The other Rocks took the lead against Cray Wanderers at Hayes Lane, Andy Pugh scoring just after the break- but Tom Murphy equalised for Wands fifteen minutes from time. Murphy has now scored in three consecutive matches for Cray, who are ninth- and who still haven’t lost since 14th August.

Ricky Korboa got the only goal of the game as Carshalton Athletic defeated Margate to go seventh, whilst Potters Bar Town and Corinthian-Casuals played out a goalless draw at King George’s Field. The Scholars are eleventh, Casuals remain bottom.

Worthing climbed to eighth after a two-one win over Kingstonian. The Mackerel Men, in front of a home crowd of seven hundred and ninety seven, went ahead early on through Callum Kealy, and two minutes after the break Ricky Aguiar doubled their advantage. Louie Theophanous hit back almost immediately for the K’s, but the equaliser wouldn’t come.

Ibrahim Olutade got the only goal of the game in our third one-nil win of the day, but it was a joyous moment for Leatherhead, as it was their first win of the season and moved them up to twentieth. Defeated Bowers & Pitsea are fourteenth.

Lewes are up to fifteenth after a rather unlikely victory at Brightlingsea Regent. The reason it was unlikely is that Regent were two goals to the good at half time, through Matt Cripps and Ricky Griggs. After the break the Rooks decided to fly, and goals from Dayshonne Golding, Kayne Diedrick-Roberts- from the spot- and a last minute winner from Olajuwon Adeyemo saw the comeback complete.

North Division

We had only one match in the North Divison, and AFC Sudbury took the points as they defeated Basildon United. It was goalless at half time, but a red card for the Bees Joseph Turpin just after the break made all the difference, the ten men behind a moment later. Callum Harrison got the first from the spot, Baris Altintop had soon added a second, and Reece Harris made the game safe with the third for the yellows.

South Central Division

Tooting and Mitcham United joined Westfield on nineteen points at the top of the South Central Division, the Woking side now ahead only on goal difference. A double from Danny Bassett, and a goal in between them from David Castanho, saw the Terrors come away from Waltham Abbey with three points and a three-nil victory. The Terrors remain unbeaten in all competitions, the Abbotts are tenth.

FA Trophy

We had a number of all-Isthmian ties, and we start at Larges Lane, where highly-fancied Bracknell Town took on highly-fancied Coggeshall Town. Neither side have quite had the start to the season they might have expected- although it isn’t as if seventh v fourth is a disaster- but both came into this match on the back of crushing Velocity Trophy wins in midweek, so we expected a close one- and that’s exactly what we got. The Robins took the honours, despite playing the last fifteen minutes with ten men after goalkeeper Mark Scott received his marching orders. Mitchell Parker and Dan Carr put Bracknell two goals up, and although Nnamdi Nwachuku got the Seed Growers back into the game with eleven minutes to go, the equaliser wouldn’t come.

Chalfont St Peter welcomed South East Whitstable Town, and it was the Oysterboys who triumphed, John Ufuah getting the only goal of the game for the visitors.

Chichester City played their first ever FA Trophy match- at home to Three Bridges. The hosts were looking for some speedy revenge, as it was only eleven days since Bridges arrived in the cathedral city and left with three points after a 1-0 league win. Chi got their own back, winning two-one; Matt Axell and Lloyd Rowlatt getting early goals which Bridges couldn’t claw back, despite Andre McCollin narrowing the gap after the break.

Dereham Town hosted Halesowen Town- and expected a test, as their visitors are in third place in Southern Division One Central and had won three of their last four. The Magpies took the lead through Thomas Matthews after only six minutes; but sadly the visitors were soon level and got the winner after the break. Our headline image shows Dereham celebrations after opening the scoring- and we'll have a link to the rest of Alan Palmer's shots as soon as they are available.

Faversham Town hosted FA Vase holders Chertsey Town, and the visitors continued their great cup record with a three-one victory. Samuel Murphy got a quick opener for the Curfews, and although James Miles equalised the home side weren’t level for long- Jonathan Hippolyte restored the lead three minutes later and Quincy Rowe made sure of victory after the break.

Two of our South Central high-flyers met as Harlow Town hosted Hanwell Town. When the two met in the league back in August it was the Geordies who took the plaudits, but it was close- and it was close again yesterday, indeed there was no way to part them, as they drew one-one. Gareth Chendlik put Hanwell ahead after only two minutes, but in the second half Ozzy Adeniji got the equaliser.

Heybridge Swifts hosted Hertford Town. Swifts have blown hot and cold this season, but their visitors have just blown cold, without a victory since August Bank Holiday Monday. Well the Swifts were certainly hot on this occasion, and fired in four goals- Alex Teniola, Evans Kouassi, Jack Adlington-Pile and Matthew Price with them, the first three before the break. Town warmed up for just a moment, Kevin Zola getting one back just before the end.

Hullbridge Sports hosted Barton Rovers- and they should have been confident, having lost only one of their last six. Sadly it was two in seven by full time, the visitors running out four-two winners despite goals from Yemi Ogunfunmilade and Bertie Brayley.

Bury Town travel to Lincoln, where they took on Northern South East Division One side Lincoln United. The hosts walloped Sheffield 5-1 on Monday night, but Town wouldn’t have been worried as they hadn’t lost a match since August 24th- and that record remained intact as goals from Cemal Ramadan, Ryan Horne and Jarid Robson gave them a three-one win.

Maldon & Tiptree haven’t lost a match all season- and indeed they haven’t even drawn one, they’ve won the lot! The Jammers hosted a Felixstowe and Walton United side who they defeated as recently as Tuesday night, and they did it again- only even more emphatically, the Seasiders crushed five-nil. Danny Parish got a hat trick, whilst Charlee Hughes (68')
Jorome Slew got the other two.

We had an all South-East clash between Ramsgate and Haywards Heath Town- and we’ll have another one shortly as the two sides left with a two-two draw. Trevor McCreadie gave the visitors an early lead only for the Rams to turn the tables, Tom Wynter and Rory Smith finding the net. The lead lasted only two minutes, however, as Callum Saunders equalised for Heath.

Finally, Canvey Island- cup heroes in midweek- travelled to Welwyn Garden City for the first time ever today- and were cup heroes once more, doubles from George Purcell and Jason Hallet giving them a four-one victory.

Velocity Trophy

We had six Trophy matches. In Group One Aveley fell behind to Grays Athletic at Parkside, Mitchel Hahn putting Athletic in control in the first half- but two goals from Alex Akrofi in the last ten minutes turned the match on its head and gave the Millers the points.

In Group Three Cambridge City were the hosts at Histon, although Histon were the visitors. City went ahead through Matt Sparrow, but Max York equalised from the spot, and after the break Histon went goal crazy, Ed Rolph scoring a hat trick.

Another away win came in Group Seven, and it went to Ashford United, who defeated Herne Bay three-one. Tashi-Jay Kwayie, David Smith and Mohammed Kamara scored for the Nuts and Bolts, Bradley Stevenson got Bay’s consolation.

We had two matches in Group Nine. Thomas Ripley, Ryan Fowler and Nathan Gordon gave Sevenoaks Town a three-nil win at Phoenix Sports, whilst a few yards down the road the match between VCD Athletic and Cray Valley PM was much closer. Kelvin Ogboe gave Vickers an early lead only for Anthony Edgar and Warren Mfula to turn the tables, but Raphe Brown got an equaliser for the hosts. Cray Valley won the penalty shootout- and the extra point- seven-six.

In Group Ten, Louie Downey gave South Park an early lead at home to Whyteleafe, but two goals in the last twenty three minutes from Ronald Sobowale and Martin Sontan gave Leafe the points.