Blues come from behind to down the Hornets

We had only one Pitching In Isthmian Premier match last night, but it was rather important, as Billericay Town welcomed Horsham to New Lodge.

The Blues started the day in third place, and they ended the day in third place, but they cut the gap between themselves and leaders Dover Athletic to six points. Horsham took the lead nine minutes before half time, Shamir Fenelon breaking the deadlock, but have been rather unconvincing on the road, so the Blues knew they still had a chance- and it was a chance they took. On sixty five minutes they were level, substitute Todd Miller drawing them level, and only three minutes later they were ahead, new signing Femi Akinwande, who made his debut on Saturday, getting his first goal for the club. 

What they had, they held, retaining their unbeaten home record- and they’ve another tough match on Saturday as they travel to fourth place Wingate and Finchley. 

The Hornets are down in fourteenth, and the main thing stopping their promotion challenge seems to be their away form. They’ll need to find a way to fix that- but have an FA Trophy trip to Torquay to worry about first.  

Image from Nicky Hayes. 

We also had a collection of matches in the Velocity Cup Fourth Round.

Pitching In Isthmian North side Brightlingsea Regent saw a five match unbeaten run come to an end on Saturday, and hoped to start another as Premier side Hashtag United came to call. The Tags were also in good form, with only one defeat in eight in League, Cup and Trophy- but they were made to work for victory in this one, and indeed only got it via a penalty shootout after an added time equaliser.

Regent went ahead with only seventeen minutes to go, Teddy Collis the scorer, the forward keeping up his record of a goal every two matches since his return to the club with his sixth of the season. It looked as if they’d hold onto that lead and record a famous victory, but three minutes from added time Toby Aromolaran, on from the bench half an hour earlier, managed to deliver an equaliser- and the Tags won the shootout four-three.

Hastings United hoped to end their recent poor run of form as they welcomed Cray Valley PM- and they did just that, although they needed a spot kick to triumph. United went ahead with only fifteen minutes to go, Will Harley getting his second goal since his return to the club on loan, but it was a lead they couldn’t hold, and the Millers levelled eight minutes later, Michael Ademiluyi the scorer. It was soon shootout time, and United eventually triumphed five-four from the spot. 

Hendon welcomed North Division Tilbury. The Greens had lost only once at home in the league all season, and indeed had won four of their last five at Silver Jubilee Park, drawing the other- and were looking for a fifth consecutive home clean sheet. They didn’t get that clean sheet, but they did get another win- although they left it late and certainly did not have things all their own way. 

Hendon went ahead midway through the first half, Kai Brosnan getting his fifteenth goal of the season, but the Dockers drew level midway through the second half, Alex Hernandez continuing his fine run with a fourteenth goal in fifteen matches. Eight minutes from time the Greens were ahead once more, Stefan Ilic getting what proved to be the winner- and deep in added time Hernandez blotted his copybook by picking up a red card. 

Dartford travelled to take on South East promotion chasers Sheppey United, and were undone- particularly in the closing stages as they chased an equaliser. The Darts are seven unbeaten in the league and in decent form, whilst the Ites were looking for a fourth successive victory, so we thought this one might be close- and for most of the ninety minutes it was, and then, it wasn’t. Sheppey went ahead on seventeen minutes courtesy of Dan Bradshaw, and it was a lead they held despite the Darts making several second half changes as they looked for a way back. In the very last minute they added a second, James Taylor with it, and five minutes into added time the Darts League Cup campaign well and truly came to an end as Victor Aiye scored for his third match in a row. Three-nil was the final score.