Athletic extend their Premier lead

Leaders Dover Athletic headed across the border into Sussex, to take on Hastings United- and they ended Boxing Day with a seven point lead at the top, two first half goals earning them another victory and maintaining their unbeaten away record. In front of a crowd of one thousand, two hundred and thirty nine, Luke Baptiste’s twelfth goal of the season saw the visitors take the lead on fourteen minutes, and within a quarter of an hour Athletic had another, George Nikaj taking his tally for the campaign up to twenty. Hastings slip into the bottom three. 

Billericay Town welcomed Canvey Island to New Lodge, the hosts looking for a sixth unbeaten match- and they achieved just that, and three points which lifted them up to second place. The Blues took control in the early stages, and were two goals to the good before a quarter of the contest had been played, Tyrell Miller-Rodney and Tommy Davis giving them the whip hand. Seven minutes from time Arrant Krasniqi made it three, and ensured three points. 

Cray Valley PM and Chatham Town delivered an entertaining three-all draw at the Artic Stadium.  The Millers had a twelve match unbeaten run to protect, and protect it they did- but only just. The Chats, with only one defeat in twelve, took only three minutes to take the lead, Jordy Mongoy the scorer, and it was a lead they held for thirty four minutes before Andre Coker got an equaliser- and  the Millers were ahead just before the break, Fumnaya Shomoton making it two-one. Within eight minutes of the restart Simon Cooper had levelled for the visitors, and on seventy one minutes Jack Evans put them ahead from the spot- but Cray Valley earned a point five minutes from time, substitute Tom Beere with the equaliser. Chatham climb into the top five, the Millers drop to third.

Fourth place Dartford had to come from behind against Cray Wanderers at Princes Park. The Darts fell behind just before the half hour, Josh Williams with the opener, but after the break Olly Box, who has been in superb form, ensured that they didn’t only increase their unbeaten run to twelve matches but took all three points. Box equalised on fifty eight minutes, and only four minutes later completed the turnaround with his eleventh of the season- eight of which have arrived in his last ten matches. One thousand, three hundred and three watched on.

Horsham were back at home, Bognor Regis Town their visitors for a Sussex derby. The Hornets opened the scoring on nineteen minutes, Chris Dickson scoring for the thirteenth time this season, and they doubled their lead four minutes into the second half, James Hammond giving them a cushion. They needed that cushion as Jasper Mather quickly got a goal back for the Rocks, to the joy of the travelling contingent amongst the one thousand, four hundred and ninety seven, and they undoubtedly felt more joy and some hope when Danny Barker was dismissed for the hosts ten minutes from time. It was the home fans who ended the match with that joy, however, as the Hornets held on and went sixth. Bognor are nine points from safety. 

Manageress Bowers and Pitsea, boosted by their win at Hastings on Saturday, were looking to follow that with another three vital points as they hosted former tenants Hashtag United- but they had to be satisfied with one, coming from behind twice in a two-two draw. The Tags, five unbeaten coming into this one, went ahead on twenty seven minutes, Nathan Smith with the opener, and held that lead until four minutes into the second half when Lewis Chambers drew the hosts level. Just after the hour Max Cornhill restored the visitors lead, but with twenty minutes to go former Tag Alex Teniola decided it was time to make his mark, earning his new side a point- but they still slip to five points away from safety.

Hendon were hoping to end a poor run as they hosted Potters Bar Town, having lost their previous four- but things got even worse for the Greens, as the Scholars hit them for four. Town were on an upward trajectory, with only one defeat from five, and they added another comfortable three points by scoring four second half goals. After a goalless fifty eight minutes Ronnie Henry put the visitors ahead, and within a couple of minutes the Greens afternoon went from bad to worse, Makai Welch seeing red. It took seven minutes before the ten men were two goals down, Brandon Adams scoring from the spot, and Adams got another five minutes from time- the Scholars fourth, as Joe Re had already added a third. Potters Bar are back into the top ten, Hendon are down in sixteenth. Image from Mandy Davies. 

Wingate and Finchley looked to get back to winning ways, Cheshunt their visitors. The Blues were on a run of six matches without a win, whilst the Ambers were a point from safety with one win from seven, so we didn’t expect this one to be a classic- but all the visitors will care about is the three points which lifted them out of the bottom four. The match had only one goal, and it arrived three minutes from time, substitute Tobias Braney the hero of the afternoon. Wingate’s winter woes see them drop to ninth. 

Dulwich Hamlet were on something of a downward spiral after a run of seven matches without a win as they welcomed Carshalton Athletic to Champion Hill, the Robins eight unbeaten. Hamlet went ahead after just ten minutes, Kreshnic Krasniqi the scorer- and they held that lead for the rest of the match, to the delight of the vast majority of the two thousand, eight hundred and eighty three watching on. Hamlet climb to eleventh, the Robins slip to seventh. 

Lewes welcomed Folkestone Invicta to the Dripping Pan. The Rooks had only two wins from ten, the Stripes had lost four in a row, so both hoped for a positive Christmas programme as they tried to make up deficits between themselves and the top five. One thousand, four hundred and fifty turned up to watch, anticipating great entertainment…and they were rewarded with a goalless draw.