Dover take over!

Leaders Lewes had a Sussex derby to look forward to, as they travelled to Cup Kings Horsham. The hosting Hornets had a five match winning run to protect, the last three without conceding a goal; whilst the Rooks needed to protect their one point lead at the top, Dover Athletic and Billericay Town breathing down their necks. They certainly didn’t protect that lead all that well in the early stages, as it took the hosts only four minutes to go ahead, Charlie Hester-Cook scoring his third of the campaign- all of them coming at home. The Rooks chances took another blow when Peter Ojemen was dismissed with twenty minutes remaining, and the hosts took full advantage of that extra man, James Hammond making it two-nil with thirteen minutes remaining. That was how it ended, the Hornets up to eighth, the Rooks slipping to third. 

Second place Dover Athletic were at home against Hashtag United. Athletic had won their previous three matches without conceding a goal and finally seemed to have found some home form, whilst the Tags were looking to make it three unbeaten on their travels. It took Athletic only three minutes to break the deadlock, Alfie Matthews sending the home fans wild, but the Tags levelled on nineteen minutes, Sakariya Hassan getting the equaliser. Athletic were ahead once more on the half hour, Harrison Pont restoring their advantage, and deep in first half added time Luke Baptiste made it three-one. That was that until five minutes from time, when George Nikaj took his tally for the season up to twelve and scored Athletic’s fourth. The Tags got a second six minutes into added time, Max Cornhill the scorer- but that was that, and Athletic go top. Two thousand, three hundred and seventy two watched on. 

Image- AT Photography. 

Billericay Town travelled to Dulwich Hamlet as fifth took on third. The Blues, the only unbeaten side in the Division, had lost only one away match in any competition- and that on penalties- whilst Hamlet were hoping to bounce back after a midweek Velocity Cup defeat against South Central side Binfield, although given they’d made ten changes to their starting line up for that match it would hardly have an impact on the confidence of their preferred starting eleven. The travelling Blues broke through five minutes before half time, when Tom Bender- always dangerous in front of goal despite playing at the other end- scored his third goal in four matches, silencing most of the three thousand and eighty five watching on, and they were quiet once more five minutes into the second half when Hamlet’s Jerome Binnom-Williams was sent off. The Blues also went down to ten men with sixteen minutes to go, Cain Keller taking an early bath- but the match brought no further goals, and Billericay are up to second- only goal difference keeping them off the summit. 

Chatham Town had looked far more like last seasons version of themselves in hammering Cray Wanderers in midweek, and they welcomed Potters Bar Town hoping to make it three wins in a row in all competitions. The Scholars, in fourth, were looking for a fourth consecutive win, and they went ahead on twenty five minutes, Brandon Adams breaking the deadlock. Just before half time Ben Ward-Cochrane made it two-nil, but the Chats made a game of it when Reece Butler pulled a goal back nine minutes into the second half- and they levelled eight minutes from time, a Jack Evans free kick headed home by Simon Cooper. That was that, and the Scholars slip to fifth. 

The Scholars may not have picked up three points, but they did pick up our Shepherd Neame Performance of the Month Award for September, for their hammering of then-leaders Lewes. Image from Mandy Davies.

Cray Valley PM were on the road to Bognor Regis Town for a green on green battle. The hosting Rocks had lost four of their last five in all competitions, whilst the Millers were looking for a fourth unbeaten match- and it was the side in form who opened the scoring after fourteen minutes, and a player in fabulous form who got the goal, Freddie Parker scoring his ninth in thirteen matches. Parker moved onto double figures eleven minutes before half time, heading home to make it two-nil, and the shellshocked Rocks conceded a third just before the break, Parker claiming the match ball with half the match still to play- but the hosts did quickly get one back, Jasper Mather giving their fans something to chew over alongside their half time burger. The next goal also came in added time at the end of the second half, and again it went to the hosts, Spencer Spurway pulling it back to two-three from distance, but that was how it ended, with the Millers up to fourth. 

Carshalton Athletic welcomed Hendon to Colston Avenue. The Robins had lost only once on their own patch- back on August 24th- whilst the Greens had been much better at home than on their travels but were two unbeaten on the road and looking to make it three. The visitors made the breakthrough on thirteen minutes, Olatunbusun Adenula with the opener, but within a minute of the second half kicking off the hosts were level, Luke Cook with the equaliser. Hendon were ahead once more thirteen minutes later, Billie Busari restoring their lead- but it was a lead they had to defend with ten men as Anduan Hajdini was quickly dismissed. They couldn’t quite manage it- as eight minutes into added time Paris Hamilton Downes earned the hosts a point. 

Dartford hosted Wingate and Finchley. The Darts had only one win from seven in all competitions, and had only a draw to show for their last three home matches, whilst their visitors had taken seven points from their last nine and were quickly ahead in this one, Andronicos Georgiou with the opener after just three minutes. Georgiou added a second fifteen minutes later, and on twenty one minutes it was three-nil, Ben Frempah leaving the Darts faithful in shock. On fifty five minutes Olly Box got a goal back for the hosts, and they then gave themselves a real chance, Ade Yusuff narrowing the gap to just one goal on sixty six. Sadly for the home faithful, that was where the scoring ended, and Wingate are up to sixth. 

Bowers and Pitsea, one place from the bottom, were looking for a third consecutive home win as Chichester City came to call. The visitors have had a very positive start to their first ever Premier campaign but had been better on their own patch so wanted to improve their away form, but it didn’t look much improved when Alfie Evans opened the scoring for Bowers on eighteen minutes. Things looked to have got worse for City when they saw Finlay Chadwick dismissed six minutes before half time, and they were worse still when TQ Addy made it two-nil with sixteen minutes left.  City finally got a goal three minutes into added time, Billie Clark scoring from the rebound after a penalty was saved, but it wasn’t enough- Bowers up to nineteenth. 

Canvey Island, after only one defeat from six in all competitions, were looking for a fourth unbeaten match as Folkestone Invicta travelled to Essex. Invicta were still searching for consistency but had been impressive on occasions, and they went ahead on the hour, albeit via an own goal. That turned out to be that, and Invicta are up into the top ten.

Cray Wanderers and Hastings United both desperately needed three points, but both sides had to settle for one, as neither could score at Flamingo Park. United keeper Louis Rogers was the busiest of the two keepers, and did his job rather well. 

Whitehawk welcomed Cheshunt, eighteenth v nineteenth. The Hawks have been generally good on their own patch, but were looking to get back to winning ways after two defeats, whilst the Ambers were looking to build on their win in Sussex in midweek by adding another, Hastings United their Tuesday night victims. Cheshunt went ahead just before the break, Remi Sutton the scorer, and five minutes into added time at the end of the match the visitors made it six Sussex points from six, Jack Thomas making quite sure. The Ambers climb to sixteenth, the Hawks slump into the bottom four.