Wands hit the leaders for five, whilst the Urchins climb to second

Leaders Chatham Town took a one hundred percent record into their match with Cray Wanderers, and hoped to bounce back from a crushing defeat against Ramsgate in the cup last weekend- but instead they suffered a second strike of lightning, losing five-one for the second match in a row. It was a far more positive case of deja vu for Wands, who won five-one in the cup last weekend, and this massacre lifts them to nineteenth, whilst the Chats stay top- but see their lead cut to one point. Wands went ahead after fourteen minutes, Frankie Raymond converting a spot kick, and twenty minutes later Cameron Thompson added a second. Another spot kick, another cool Raymond finish made it three soon after the restart, and eleven minutes from time Nyren Clunis added a fourth, Seven minutes from time the hosts pulled a goal back, Jack Munns with the consolation, but still the visitors weren’t finished, and Archy Taylor quickly added a fifth.

Image from okb_geek.

Enfield Town remain unbeaten, but dropped from second to fourth after twice coming from behind to earn a draw against Bognor Regis Town. The Rocks had only defeated the Towners once in their previous thirteen attempts, and it’s now one win from fourteen, but they broke the deadlock on fourteen minutes through Jasper Mather. Sam Youngs levelled for the hosts midway through the half, but the Rocks pulled ahead once more seven minutes after the break through Joe Rabbetts. It took less than ten minutes for the Towners to level once more, James Richmond making it two-two, and that was that. Five hundred and sixty watched on.

Carshalton Athletic are also unbeaten in league and cup, Concord Rangers their latest victims. After a goalless first half the Robins went ahead seven minutes after the break, Tommy Bradford’s third goal of the season, and right at the end Abel Vendrells Parcerisa made quite sure of victory, adding a second. The Robins are third, Rangers rock bottom and still without a point.

Hornchurch, who started the weekend in fifth place, ended it in second- and comprehensively ended hosts Wingate and Finchley’s previous good run. The Urchins went ahead on the quarter hour through Sam Higgins, and almost immediately Ryan Scott made it two. The third took rather longer to arrive, until thirteen minutes from time to be exact, but arrive it did, Ade Yusuff, on from the bench, scoring his third of the season. Sean Scannell made it four, five minutes from time, and just before the end Elliot Long got a consolation for the Blues, who are eleventh.

Hastings United were in good form in defeating Erith & Belvedere in a cup replay in midweek, but they looked as if they were about to fall to their first defeat of the season as they entered the last minute against Haringey Borough a goal down. That goal came to Walter Figueira eleven minutes before the break, and it seemed as if the three points were heading back to North London, only for Tayo Adebola to head home just after the start of added time. Borough were surely going to leave with a point, then- but no! Femi Akinwande doesn’t seem to score simple goals, and he followed a work of beauty on Wednesday night with yet another six minutes into added time, receiving the ball with his back to goal on the edge of the box and somehow finding the top corner to lift his side into the top five. That’s six for the season already for the United number nine.

Lewes were back at the Dripping Pan, and welcomed Folkestone Invicta- but they were rather too welcoming, and saw their unbeaten record depart as the points headed back to the Kentish seaside. The ten minutes before the break saw the Rooks hit with a quick one-two, David Smith with the one, Ibrahim Olutade with the two- and it ensured the visitors went into the break with a cushion. The cushion became bigger when Ira Jackson added a third with twenty three minutes remaining, and although Kalvin Lumbombo-Kalala quickly got a goal back, that was as good as it got for the hosts. Nine hundred and ninety two were in attendance.

Horsham, having finally disposed of Leatherhead in the FA Cup, welcomed Cheshunt to the Camping World Community Stadium. The Ambers have developed a habit of falling to narrow defeats, and they did the same again, Horsham’s James Hammond with the only goal of the game four minutes after half time, to the delight of most of the six hundred and ninety nine watching on. The Hornets are up to sixth.

Whitehawk were off to a different seaside, visiting the land of the container ships on a visit to Canvey Island. The Hawks hadn't lost since the opening day, and that run continued, Shaun Saunders side climbing to eighth with a narrow victory. It looked good for the Gulls when Conor Hubble put them ahead from the spot on eleven minutes, but the Hawks were quickly level through Dom Johnson-Fisher, and midway through the second half Charlie Walker’s third of the season turned out to be the winner.

Hashtag United have become our draw specialists, and they did it again as they welcomed Kingstonian to the Len Salmon. On this occasion they may be happy with a draw, as they came from two goals behind to claim a point. An Andy Somo double saw the K’s two up by the fifty second minutes, and then the Tags finally got going, Thomas Anderson halving the deficit. A red card for Jude Mason with fifteen minutes to go made things difficult for the visitors, and right at the end the hosts found an equaliser, Greg Halford keeping his nerve to score from the spot.

Margate came from behind to defeat Potters Bar Town on Family Fun day at Hartsdown Park. Three minutes before the break the travelling Scholars silenced most of the nine hundred and twenty one watching on by opening the scoring, Leigh Rose with the goal, but within ten minutes of the restart the turnaround was complete for the hosts, Steve Cawley with goals on fifty and fifty five minutes. The Blues are up to twelfth, Town still wait for a first point.

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