Vale go top, Casuals and Baggies pick up first wins, and Rovers deliver late drama

South Park Reigate and Raynes Park Vale would have both fancied their chances of ending the weekend at the top of the table as they met at Whitehall Lane- but in the end it was the visitors who triumphed, and comfortably. A first half double from Callum Hope gave Vale a cushion at half time, and within nine minutes of the restart Jerry O’Sullivan made it three-nil and effectively ended the contest. Vale hold onto their one hundred percent record, and go two points clear.

Jerry Nnamani and Rob Tolfrey looked delighted- image courtesy of the club.

Thatcham Town also had the chance to go top, but they saw those ambitions thwarted by Badshot Lea, who finally turned encouraging performances into three points. The visitors went ahead at Waterside Park when Kane Fitzgerald put away a penalty just before the break, and they held onto that goal to take victory.

Sutton Common Rovers welcomed Guernsey, a side who defeated them twice last season- and it looked very much like the Green Lions would win again only for late drama to ensure the three points didn’t leave on a jet plane. Guernsey went ahead after just eight minutes, Charlton Gauvain with the goal, and eighty eight minutes later were still leading, only for Rovers to prove that anyone leaving early to beat the traffic is rather silly. First Nabeel Ghannam got an equaliser, and then, almost immediately, Ashley Sheppard delivered a winner to leave the Green Lions tranquilised.

Finally, Corinthian-Casuals had been in freefall, but finally got their campaign started with victory over Metropolitan Police. Casuals were quickly ahead, Shea Cascoe-Rogers giving them a seventh minute lead, only for Adam Green to level for the visitors eight minutes later. The next goal wasn’t long in arriving, and it went to the hosts, Francis Quarm scoring it, and even a late red card for Gabriel Ipanga didn’t spoil the party.

Follow the Pitching In Isthmian League on Instagram. Head here or search for theisthmianleague on your app. We're also on Facebook and Twitter.