Becks go four clear, Ites retain their 100% record, and Erith hit five

Isuzu FA Trophy

South Central side Ascot United welcomed South East side Margate in a match which promised much. The Yellas had won their last six matches in League and Cups, particularly delighting their supporters as the last four of those have been on their own Racecourse Ground, whilst the visitors hadn’t lost a match all season. We waited seventy one minutes for a goal, and it went to the hosts, Taylor Morgan the scorer. That was that, finally a defeat for Gate, seven wins in a row for United. 

Another South East v South Central match saw Ashford United welcome Hartley Wintney to Homelands. The Nuts and Bolts were yet to win in the league but throw a knockout competition at them and they come out swinging, having already won five cup ties this season- and they went ahead in this one two minutes after half time, Gary Lockyer the rather unsurprising scorer, his ninth of the season. Lockyer was into double figures on sixty six minutes, two-nil, but the Row made things interesting with a goal back ten minutes from time, Sam Bartlett with it. The hosts, however, held on to progress. 

Flackwell Heath of Pitching In Southern Division One Central were the hosts for Broadbridge Heath. The Bears were on a good run, only a narrow defeat against Ramsgate in the Cup stopping them from winning five in a row- all on the road- whilst Heath have won six of their last seven, including a win over Farnham Town in the last round, so we thought this one might be close. It turned out that we were very, very wrong.

The hosts went ahead from the spot on twenty three minutes, but the Bears were level five minutes before half time, Jake Lindsey with the equaliser. Heath regained their lead five minutes into the second half, and then almost immediately added a third, and a fourth, as the Bears were skinned. It was five-one with sixteen minutes left, six-one on seventy nine minutes, and finally, the agony was over. 

Herne Bay were superb in defeating Hendon in the Cup last weekend, and were fast starters once more as Three Bridges came to call, Kane Haysman putting them in front after just six minutes. They made it two-nil just before half time, Scott Heard doubling the lead, and added a third early in the second half, Artem Kuchkov surely putting the match out of sight. That turned out to be that. 

We had a Sussex derby as Littlehampton Town welcomed Burgess Hill Town- and the two sides were rather familiar with each other as they met in midweek, Hill winning three-two. The match was still goalless when the hosts went down to ten men, skipper Jordan Layton seeing red on sixty three minutes, and it was still goalless when they went down to nine, George Gaskin the latest early departure. Off we went to spot kicks, and the nine men won five-four.

South East title chasers Ramsgate was the destination for South Central Raynes Park Vale. The Rams had lost only once in any competition this season- a much changed side departing the Velocity Cup on penalties in midweek- and were full of confidence, particularly with Joe Taylor doing his usual in front of goal, eleven goals already. He made it twelve midway through the first half with the opening goal, and then ten minutes before the break Lewis Gard got into the act, making it two. Vale hit back in the early stages of the second half, an own goal giving them hope, and they had yet more hope when the Rams saw Aaron Barnes dismissed with fifteen minutes left, but they were unable to take advantage.

Sevenoaks Town, who became the first side to defeat Ramsgate this season with a Velocity Cup shootout win in midweek, played host to South Central Leatherhead. The two sides met in the FA Cup just over a month ago, the Tanners winning two-nil, but Oaks went ahead in this one, Jefferson Aibangbee breaking the deadlock on nineteen minutes. They then suffered a red card, however, Ryan Sawyer sent off, and Andre Date quickly equalised from the spot. The Tanners went ahead eleven minutes into the second half, George Hedley the scorer, and they held on for victory. 

Sittingbourne filled Blakey’s Shed for the visit of Kingstonian. The Brickies put out a rather youthful side in Velocity Cup defeat in Erith in midweek, which ended a six match unbeaten run- and they’d been pretty much perfect at home, with four wins and a draw- and that draw came against Premier side Dover Athletic, who were defeated in the replay, so they were full of confidence and it showed, as they went ahead on the half hour through Troy Howard and quickly added another, Mitchell May making it two with his eighth of the season. May added another- this one from the spot- on fifty two minutes, and just after the hour the Brickies had a fourth, Henry Sinai the latest on the scoresheet. Joe Hicks scored for the visitors seventeen minutes from time, but that was as good as it got for the K’s. 

Uxbridge had found form of late, their last four matches bringing three wins and a draw- and twelve goals- and they welcome an AFC Croydon Athletic side who were without a manager. The travelling Rams had been rather hit and miss this season, and they were very much miss when Ada Okorogheye put the hosts ahead on nineteen minutes, and it got worse for the visitors just before half time, Josh Addae making it two. The Rams hit back seven minutes into the second half, Brandon Pierrick halving the arrears, but the Red Army were able to celebrate victory at full time. 

South East

Leaders Beckenham Town had the chance to get back to winning ways as they welcomed Merstham. Becks lost for the first time this (league) season as they were defeated by Margate in midweek, and had another tough match in prospect. After a goalless first half the hosts went ahead on fifty one minutes, Jamarie Brissett’s seventh of the season- and he added an eighth eight minutes later, but they then went down to ten men, Louie Theophanous dismissed. The ten men didn’t need to worry, however, as they soon had a third, Steven Townsend making the points safe. 

Town are four points clear at the top- although they have played three more matches than their closest challengers. That’s four without a win for the visitors.

Sheppey United knew that they could climb to second if they could defeat Steyning Town at Holm Park. The Ites had a perfect league record after four matches, but it looked like it would be slightly less perfect after eighty three minutes without a goal. Within three minutes more, however, we had two goals, and both went to the hosts, Jacob Lambert and Danny Leonard with them, but they needed another for that second spot so remain third on goal difference. Ites boss Ernie Batten was presented with his Vita Risk Solutions Manager of the Month Award for August, and that's our headline image. 

Erith Town started the weekend in fourth, and travelled to face Hythe Town with hope of climbing higher still. The Dockers had won four of their last five in all competitions, only a defeat against Sheppey spoiling that particular record, and they were soon ahead in this one, Calum McGeehan opening the scoring on eight minutes. The advantage was doubled eleven minutes before half time, James Dyer scoring for the third successive match, and Dyer added a third before the break.  Within one minute of the restart Dyer had claimed the match ball, making it four-nil, and the Dockers weren’t finished. Harry Taylor made it five with twenty two minutes left, and finally that’s where the scoring ended, the Dockers remaining fourth. 

Lancing welcomed Phoenix Sports to Culver Road, and undoubtedly both sides were viewing this encounter as a great chance to pick up a first win of the season. The Lancers had played six matches in all competitions, five of them at home, and lost them all- whilst Sports had lost their previous six, and indeed eight of ten in all competitions, those last six seeing them score one solitary goal. The match had an early goal, the Lancers taking the lead on ten minutes, Luke Robinson with the opener, and they doubled their lead when Evan George Hoarty made it two just before half time. That turned out to be that, and the Lancers are up to seventeenth- Sports at the bottom.