Vale back at the summit

Leaders Chertsey Town knew that with only goal difference between them and Raynes Park Vale- and third place Leatherhead only two points further back- they couldn’t afford to slip up as Sutton Common Rovers came to call. The Curfews had won their previous NINE matches and hit Corinthian-Casuals for six last time out, but they couldn’t manage even a goal this time around. Neither could Rovers, but they’ll be much happier with that- and with their point on the road. Town are down to second.

Second place Raynes Park Vale were hoping to go back to the top, but knew that unless Chertsey Town suffered a slip up they’d need to enormously improve their goal difference to take over. That said, they would undoubtedly have noticed that their visitors, bottom side Binfield, had already conceded sixty two goals this season- and it was sixty three after only six minutes, Jordan Gallagher with his fourteenth of the season. Vale went two goals up three minutes before the break, Callum Hope doubling their advantage, and it was certainly three points confirmed when Gallagher added a third before the hour. Brad Sweeney added a fourth with nineteen minutes left, and Chertsey’s draw saw Vale take over at the top.

Man of the match Brad is presented with the award by his manager in our image.

Third place Leatherhead looked to have a tough match as last season’s Play Off Finalists Hanworth Villa made the trip to Fetcham Grove, and it looked even tougher when the Villains went ahead on fourteen minutes, Kyen Nicholas with his eleventh of the season. Three minutes before the break the Tanners levelled, Trevan Robinson giving the green hordes something to shout about, but that was the last concerted shouting from the fans of either side, a point each the outcome.

Fourth place Marlow started the day four points behind the leaders with two games in hand, and had won their last eight league matches- but they didn’t have a good start against South Park Reigate at Oak Tree Road, the Sparks, who scored four in midweek, going ahead after just seven minutes with Jamarie Brissett’s fifth of the season. The Sparks were two up seven minutes later, Sam King converting from the spot, but the hosts then awoke and Dawid Rogalski pulled a goal back five minutes before half time, his penalty his twenty first goal of the season. Could the Sparks hold on? Nearly. Right at the end Khalid Simmo delighted the home fans with an equaliser, and two-two was the final score.

Fifth place Southall have dropped from first to fifth after two narrow defeats, and hoped to get back to winning ways as they welcomed Hartley Wintney. Those two defeats followed a long, long unbeaten run, whilst their visitors were in decent form too, four unbeaten. The All went ahead midway through the first half, Anthony O’Connor with his eighth of the season, and they doubled their advantage just after the hour, Ryan Hope making it two. That was how it finished, Southall up to third.

Uxbridge started the weekend in ninth spot, and hoped to close the gap on the top five as they welcomed Corinthian-Casuals to Honeycroft. The hosts have been the very example of inconsistency, with four wins and five defeats from their previous nine matches, but they did come from behind to defeat Chipstead last time out and new signing Dan Williams opened the scoring just after the quarter hour mark. Eight minutes before the break Lewis Cole made it two-nil, and a moment after the restart George Moore made it three. It was soon four, Rhys Murrell- Williamson with that one, and with nineteen minutes left Mahlondo Martin added a fifth as his side climbed to sixth.

Westfield welcomed Ashford Town to Woking Park. The hosts picked up their first draw in ten matches last time out, and they must have started a habit as they did it again, neither side managing a goal.

Thatcham Town played host to Chipstead. The Kingfishers started the day in twelfth place but had lost only one of their previous seven, whilst the travelling Chips were on their worst run of the season, and took six consecutive defeats with them to Berkshire, so it wasn’t too much of a surprise when Town broke the deadlock on fifty three minutes, Curtis Angel with the goal. Muhamadou Ceesay quickly made it two-nil, and right at the end David Nyarko added a third, the Kingfishers up to ninth.

Met Police, a point above the bottom two at kick off, welcomed the side five points and four places ahead of them, Ascot United. Met won for the first time in ten matches last time out- although last time out had been three weeks previously, against South Park Reigate. The travelling Yellas also had recent experience of the Sparks, in their case far more recent, as they lost four-one in Reigate in midweek. Their last two wins had been followed by immediate defeat- but they could also say that their last two defeats had been followed by immediate wins, so they hoped that pattern would continue, and they started superbly. Brendan Matthew is having a fabulous campaign for United, and within a minute he’d added his twentieth of the season to put his side ahead. The boys in blue levelled on the quarter hour, Laurence Ernest making it one-one, but just before the half hour Matthew did it again, making it two-one, and seven minutes before half time new signing Morgan Taylor made it three-one.

Harry Grant surely made the points safe when adding a fourth on fifty two minutes, although Met then hit back, Charlie Brown bringing it back to four-two. Two minutes from time Taylor got the fifth, and the Yellas climbed to thirteenth.

Northwood must wonder whether their success of 22-23 was something of a dream, as 23-24 had so far been mostly nightmares- but perhaps the Woods had finally stopped eating cheese before going to bed, as they awoke to defeat Guernsey at the Skyline Stadium. After a goalless first half Northwood went ahead on fifty five minutes, Reece Cameron with the goal, but the ever reliable Matt Loaring quickly levelled for the Green Lions. It was next goal wins, and it went to the hosts, Kofi Anokye-Boadi scoring with nineteen minutes left to secure three points for his side and lift them to sixteenth.

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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