Brickies are our Christmas number one!

Ramsgate saw the postponement of their match at Merstham which gave Sittingbourne, who travelled to the rather misnamed sunshine coast to face Eastbourne Town, the chance to go top. The Brickies were looking for a fifteenth win in a row, and they got it, but they were made to work hard for the points. Troy Howard put them ahead after just eleven minutes but Dan Hull quickly levelled for the hosts. The winning goal arrived on the hour, Ryan Kingsford scoring it- and it took Sittingbourne to the summit, a point clear of the Rams having played a game more.

Margate, in fourth at kick off, were unbeaten at home and unbeaten in ten matches, and they maintained the former record and extended the latter with a comfortable win over Steyning Town. Both goals arrived early, Ben Allen opening the scoring on thirteen minutes and Ibrahim Olutade making it two just three minutes later, and that was that, Gate up to third, Steyning without a win since September 28th, a run of sixteen matches that have brought only two pointsand leaves them bottom of the table. 

Sheppey United hoped to spend Christmas Day in the top five, but hosts Deal Town had other ideas. The Ites were ahead at the break, Gil Carvalho giving them the lead three minutes before half time, but Deal dominated the second half and scored three goals of their own to take three points. Tom Chapman drew them level ten minutes after the restart, and six minutes later Alfie Foster put them ahead. Four minutes from time Rory Smith added the third, and Town climbed to eighth, confirming a third win in a row. Image from Marc Richards. 

Erith Town welcomed Littlehampton Town to Thamesmead. The Dockers had fallen to six points away from a play off place after a run of only one win from five- but they closed that gap to three points after overwhelming the Golds. All of the goals came in the second half, James Dyer quickly putting the hosts ahead, George Goodwin made it two on fifty one minutes, and although Scott Kirkwood quickly got a goal back for the visitors it was three-one sixteen minutes from time, Jerome Jayaguru with his first of the season. Eight minutes later Harry Taylor added a fourth, and that was that. Littlehampton are two points above the drop zone. 

Ashford United had been climbing the table after a run of six wins from eight, but relegation-threatened Phoenix Sports shocked the Homelands faithful by taking all three points and scoring three goals. Isaac Thompson put Sports ahead in the very first minute, and the same player made it two eight minutes before half time, a goal which was quickly followed by a red card for the Nuts and Bolts leading scorer, Gary Lockyer. The ten men got a goal back within a minute of the second half commencing, Matthew Bodkin with it, but two minutes from time Will Efambe settled any Sports nerves with a third, and they climb off the bottom of the table, five points from safety. 

Sevenoaks Town were on the road to Lancing, and had a nightmare start courtesy of Lancers forward Harry Heath, who scored a hat trick inside the first ten minutes! Heath’s goals came on two, four and ten minutes, and then the visitors finally awoke. Josh Wisson got a goal back nine minutes before half time, and five minutes after half time Jefferson Aibangbee added another to make the home fans sweat, only for Heath to quickly make it four-two. Seven minutes from time the visitors got a penalty, and Aibangbee made no mistake to set up a thrilling finale, but the Lancers held on, four-three the final score- and are now only two points from safety.