Brickies and Ashford slay giants- whilst Hill beat the leaders

Isuzu FA Trophy

Ashford United hosted Walton & Hersham. This was United’s tenth cup tie of the season so far- contrast that with only four league matches- and indeed they have played only once in the League since August Bank Holiday Monday. They faced a Swans side who sit fourth in Pitching In Southern Premier South, but who were looking to avoid a third consecutive defeat- and that quest didn’t start well for the visitors as Ronald Sitole put the Nuts and Bolts ahead on fifteen minutes. The visitors suffered another blow early in the second half, a red card sending them down to ten men, and United held on for a famous victory. 

Chichester City took on Herne Bay, Premier v South East. City are having a fine first Premier campaign, and came into this one with only one defeat in eight, whilst Bay had been so busy in Cup competitions that they’d managed only three games in the league. This was their tenth cup tie of the season so far, and they’d already got a Premier scalp under their belts, having defeated Hendon in the FA Cup- but they didn’t get another. With penalties looking certain, up stepped Isaac Bello to put the hosts ahead- and four minutes into added time Mo Jammeh made sure with a second. 

Littlehampton Town was the destination for Barton Rovers of Pitching In Southern Division One Central. Rovers had only one defeat from seven, that coming in the League against Enfield in midweek, and defeated Waltham Abbey in the last round- and they were ahead six minutes before half time. That turned out to be that, and the Golds are sadly out. 

Ramsgate and Cray Valley PM spent all of last season fighting over the Pitching In Isthmian South East title, a battle which the Millers eventually won, so there was enormous motivation for the hosts to gain some revenge when the two sides met once more. The Millers broke the deadlock on fourteen minutes through Matthew Vigor, and then they stunned the hosts by quickly adding two more, Freddie Parker scoring both of them, to go three up before half an hour had been played. Joe Taylor got one back on thirty seven minutes, his fourteenth of the season, but that was as good as it got for the Rams, who must be rather sick of the sight of the Millers by now. 

Another Premier v South East tie came from Sittingbourne, where the Brickies met Bognor Regis Town. Sittingbourne had been almost perfect at home this season- only defeat against Plymouth Parkway in the Cup last weekend blotting their copybook- and were confident of causing an upset, and they took the lead on twenty minutes, Liam Smith the scorer. The Rocks levelled twenty minutes from time, Spencer Spurway the scorer, but the Brickies were immediately ahead once more, Funsho Henry Sinai with their second. This time they held onto their advantage, and that’s a second giant of the season slain- and a second knockout defeat against South East opposition for Bognor. 

Pitching In Isthmian South East

It had been rather a strange week for leaders Beckenham Town, who had seen their management team depart and later turn up at bottom side Phoenix Sports. Becks have a four point lead at the top and knew that they would at least hold onto that as neither Sheppey United or Ramsgate were in league action, but they looked as if they might be vulnerable as they travelled to Burgess Hill Town, and that’s exactly as it panned out. Hill went ahead on ten minutes through Alex Brewer, and doubled the advantage on thirty four through Brannon O’Neil, but Becks got one back just before the break, Tyler Anderson the scorer, and levelled early in the second half through Thomas Hever. Hill regained their lead twenty three minutes from time, Joseph Overy with their third, and in added time Ben Pope made it four-two and sent them fourth- with a fifth league win in six. 

Fourth place at start of play,  Erith Town were on the road to the Sunshine Coast, where they took on Eastbourne Town knowing that victory would take them above Ramsgate into third. The hosts hadn’t won a league match on their own patch- and were without a win in three- but they fixed both of those statistics, a late goal from substitute Harry Hammond giving them victory two minutes from time. Prior to Hammond clinching the points it looked as if we’d end up with a draw, Marin Rude giving Eastbourne a first half lead, Harry Taylor levelling for the Dockers fourteen minutes from time. 

Merstham (pictured, VJT Photography) had a chance of hitting the top five if they could win at East Grinstead Town- and win they did, but they had to be satisfied with sixth. The Moatsiders had already defeated the Wasps this season, in the Velocity Cup, and they did it again with a goal from Olu Lawal on twenty three minutes. Town haven’t picked up a home win since August 23rd. 

Margate, unbeaten in the League and with our Shepherd Neame Performance of the Month trophy about to be delivered for their cup win at Bognor last month, were back in Sussex once more as they took on Lancing at Culver Road. Gate retained their unbeaten record and moved to within a point of the top five, but they left it late. An own goal gave them the lead in first half added time, but the scorer of that, the Lancers Harry Doherty, made up for that by scoring at the right end on the hour. Right at the end Gate took the points, Jordon Ababio’s eighty ninth minute goal the winner. 

Sevenoaks Town were far too welcoming to Three Bridges, and the visitors took advantage in style. 

Reece Hallard got things moving, opening the scoring on fourteen minutes, and ten minutes later they added a second, Archie Burnett the scorer. Into the second half, and Hallard added a third twelve minutes in, before Oaks went down to ten men, Michael Sarpong dismissed. In added time the visitors got their fourth, Burnett once more the scorer, and they climbed to fifteenth courtesy of their first league win of the campaign. 

AFC Croydon Athletic welcomed Hythe Town. Almost from the start the visiting Cannons had an uphill struggle, as they saw Theo McKenzie dismissed after just twelve minutes, but despite that they went ahead, Anthony Adesite giving them the lead from the spot eleven minutes before half time. They held that lead until ten minutes into the second half, Tom Collins levelling for the Rams, and ten minutes from time the turnaround was complete, David Omilabu making it two-one. Skipper Brandon Pierrick has been in fine form, with eight goals so far and four in his previous three matches, and he made it nine for the season and five in four by scoring a third for his side in added time. That’s four league defeats in a row for Hythe.