Worthing take the title

One win was all that Worthing needed to confirm promotion. The Mackerel Men travelled to Bowers and Pitsea, the home side left bereft by boss Rob Small’s decision to leave at the end of the campaign. The breakthrough took forty two minutes, and the goal- of course- went to the visitors. Ollie Pearce has been quiet of late so was overdue a goal, and duly got one, his thirty seventh of the season- and the second came seven minutes from time, Jasper Pattenden walloping the ball home and making sure of those important three points.

Congratulations to Mackerel Men everywhere. After two unfinished seasons when you were our best team, never has a promotion been more deserved. And tribute to George Dowell, who would undoubtedly have achieved his five year plan within five years had covid not got in the way!

Our headline image comes from Nashy Photo- and there are more, here. Stadium Photography also got in on the act, more from Dave here.

Bishop’s Stortford, Enfield Town and Hornchurch, separated by three points at kick off, are jockeying for home advantage in the play offs. The Blues were in pole position, and on the road to Kingstonian on the back of an unbeaten run which stretched back to January 8th, and had seen them fail to concede a goal during their last ten matches- and they were quickly ahead, Darren Foxley taking only three minutes to break through the K’s rearguard. The next goal also went to Foxley, and it came three minutes from time, two goals and three points for the Blues, who are now four points ahead of third place Enfield Town.

The Towners were on the road, too, to take on a side who really needed the points for an entirely different reason, Brightlingsea Regent. Enfield had won their previous six matches, whilst their hosts had won but one of their last ten and were deep in the mire at the bottom. Town went ahead on twenty three minutes, Jake Cass adding his seventh Enfield goal to the fifteen he scored for Stortford, but Regent were level six minutes before the break, Aaron Blair scoring his twelfth goal in twenty two matches. The Tanners were undone right at the end as Regent secured a crucial three points, Ollie Bell with a last minute winner- a result which lifts them up to eighteenth.

Hornchurch are at Cray Wanderers this afternoon, with a 3PM kick off.

The battle for the final play off spot seems to be between Lewes, Folkestone Invicta and Cheshunt, two points separating the three at start of play- and at the end of it.

The Ambers hosted the Rooks. Both sides lost last time out, and it looked like a must-win for the visitors- or at least, a must-not-lose- but they went behind midway through the first half as Reece Beckles-Richards scored from the spot. Lewes were level just before the break, Joe Taylor with his twenty ninth of the campaign- and there was still time before half time for Taylor to get another, from the spot, and out his side ahead.

The Rooks then undermined their own efforts as Kenneth Yao saw red on fifty seven minutes, and it was perhaps no surprise when Mo Camara got an equaliser with eighteen minutes left. Cheshunt play their game in hand at Bognor on Tuesday night- and will go fifth with victory, so Lewes will want their Sussex rivals to do them a faviur.

Invicta welcomed Corinthian-Casuals. With four consecutive defeats, all against sides around them, their play off push had slowed markedly, and they needed three points against a Casuals side who had turned their form around of late, winning their last two and unbeaten in three. The hosts took the lead just after the half hour, Adam Yusuff with his twenty sixth of the season, but Jack Knight immediately hit back for the visitors. After the break David Smith restored home advantage, but again Casuals hit back, and Oliver Sitch equalised with eleven minutes remaining to thwart Invicta and keep them sixth.

With only three points between the bottom five at start of play, any one of those sides could have found themselves in the bottom three at the end of the day.

Leatherhead propped up the rest at start of play, but with four wins in six as they travelled to Wingate & Finchley would have been full of confidence. The Blues, fresh from victory at Lewes last weekend, wouldn’t have been short on belief either, and took the lead just before the hour through Theo Ofori. Leatherhead are our late goal specialists and never give up, and they found another right at the end, Assistant manager Jermain McGlashan getting it.

East Thurrock United had also improved their chances of a great escape by winning their last three, but they travelled to face those other Rocks, Bognor Regis Town, who had looked much improved of late- and it was the home Rocks who went ahead, Alfie Bridgeman scoring midway through the first half. It looked as if it was three points staying in Sussex, but right at the end Ben Wyss stepped up to earn what might be a vital point for the visitors. That point dragged them out of the bottom three, dumping Cray Wanderers to second bottom.

Merstham have been in freefall, losing their last seven matches and nine of their last ten. The Moatsiders were on the road to Potters Bar Town, who were due a win if only because the pattern of their last six had seen them W-L-W-L-W-L, and the Scholars went ahead twelve minutes before the break, Max Delyfer opening the scoring. It was two-nil with eighteen minutes remaining, Dwight Pascal with that one, and another W was added to that sequence, whilst the Moatsiders fall to twentieth.

Carshalton Athletic and Margate couldn’t manage a goal between them.

Horsham, looking forward to the Velocity Trophy Final in midweek, were quickly ahead against Haringey Borough, Jack Brivio breaking the deadlock on five minutes. The Hornets doubled their advantage through Shamir Fenelon just before the hour, and Tom Kavanagh made quite sure with a third, four minutes from time, to the delight of most of the nine hundred and twenty five present.

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