Draws for the top three- as Hamlet hit five and go fourth

Leaders Lewes, still unbeaten after six league matches, had a Sussex derby as their latest challenge, Hastings United making the trip to the Dripping Pan. The Rooks hadn’t played for a fortnight, whilst their visitors had got back to winning ways last weekend in the Cup, defeating the only side who had managed to defeat Lewes so far in any competition- Harefield United. Prior to kick off Lewes boss Craig Nelson was presented with the Vita Risk Solutions Manager of the Month Award for August.

It was Hastings who hit the ground running, going ahead on four minutes, Billy Vigar the scorer- but the one thousand, four hundred and two watching the match had nothing else to celebrate until eight minutes from time. Most of them would have been celebrating, as Danny Bassett levelled for the Rooks, and that was that- Lewes holding onto a three point lead at the top. Headline image- James Boyes. 

Dover Athletic, the only side who had a chance of overhauling Lewes this weekend, made the trip to Carshalton Athletic for an ‘Athletic derby.’ Dover had been scoring goals for fun this season, an average of four a match over their six games so far, and headed to Colston Avenue looking for a fourth league win in succession- but they fell behind on fifty four minutes, Tommy Bradford with the opener. It looked as if the Robins would make it three clean sheets in a row, but in added time George Nikaj scored for the ninth time this season to earn the visitors a point which kept them second. 

We had fourth v third as Cray Valley PM welcomed Billericay Town. Only goal difference separated the sides at kick off, although the Blues remained unbeaten in the League, but the Millers looked to end that particular record as they went ahead ten minutes before half time, Danny Waldren with the opener. The travelling Blues fans had something to celebrate when Ashley Nzala levelled on the hour, and that was the last celebrating anyone had cause to do, the match ending level. The Blues stay third, the Millers slip to fifth. 

In fifth place at kick off, Dartford were at home to bottom side Bowers and Pitsea. The Darts had been in top form at home, winning their last four at Princes Park, whilst Bowers had taken only one point from their six matches so far, so it was something of a surprise when the visitors went ahead early on, Alfie Evans opening the scoring on four minutes. The surprise was greater still when Bowers added a second on twenty five minutes, Evans doing the damage once more, and the majority of the eight hundred and ninety seven watching on would have given up by the time that Callum Jones got one back two minutes into added time at the end of the match. They were quickly given another boost, Valckx Fernandes sent off for Bowers, but couldn’t take advantage, and the visitors held on to celebrate their first win of the Premier campaign.

Only goal difference kept Potters Bar Town out of the top five at kick off, and the Scholars hoped to climb even higher as they travelled to Whitehawk, with striker Steve Cawley hopeful of extending his scoring run to seven consecutive matches. The Hawks had won their last two at home, and went ahead nine minutes before half time, former Chertsey Town hotshot Gianluca Botti breaking the deadlock on his debut nine minutes before half time. Eight minutes before the end the Hawks added a second, Charlie Walker sending them up to tenth, the Scholars slipping to seventh. 

Hendon, in seventh place at kick off, made the long trip to the Kent coast to take on Folkestone Invicta, who were thirteenth. The Greens lost at a different Kentish seaside last time out, falling to defeat in the Cup at Herne Bay, but hoped to put an end to any lingering travel sickness and get back to the form that saw them five unbeaten prior to that match. Invicta had lost their previous two and were yet to find any consistency- or to win at home- but the Stripes broke the deadlock eleven minutes into the second half, Amadou Kassarate the scorer- and quickly added a second, Dan Smith with that one. The majority of the nine hundred and eighteen in attendance were finally given three home points to celebrate, Invicta up to ninth, behind their visitors only on goal difference. 

Dulwich Hamlet welcomed Horsham, ninth v eighth- the sides separated only by goal difference at kick off. Hamlet hadn’t played since their win over Canvey Island a fortnight ago, whilst the Hornets spent last weekend slaying the same giant for a second year in a row, Dorking Wanderers now surely heartily sick of the sight of them. They’d now gone three matches without conceding a goal- but they managed only six minutes before that particular run came to and end, Danny Mills putting Hamlet ahead. Mills added a second on eighteen minutes, and there was even more delight for the folks of Champion Hill when Louis Ramsey made it three. Horsham took four points from Hamlet last season, and they hit back on forty seven minutes, Ola Ogunwamide pulling a goal back, but their chance of taking any points from this one surely vanished when Luke Wanadio made it four-one on fifty two minutes. Ogunwamide pulled it back to four-two with twenty two minutes left, but it was five-two three minutes from time, Wanadio with his eighth of the campaign. Two thousand, nine hundred and nineteen watched on- and Hamlet went fourth. 

Chichester City and Wingate and Finchley clashed in North London, both sides looking to get back to winning ways after midweek Cup defeats. City were four unbeaten prior to that defeat at National League South side Slough Town, and with striker Jimmy Wild having already scored eight goals hoped for more of the same- and it was Wild who opened the scoring, heading home just before the hour mark. Just when City looked to have held on for three points the Blues equalised, Ayo Tanimowo in added time earning a point for the hosts. 

Chatham Town had a rather slow start to the season, but three games unbeaten and victory over National League South opposition last weekend suggested that the Chats were now speeding up. They welcomed Canvey Island, the Gulls second bottom but having won three of their last four in League and Cup so on an upward trend- and they were quickly ahead in this one, Tom Stephen scoring after just seven minutes from a free kick- and the shellshocked Chats were two down three minutes later, Jaxon Brown with the second. The Gulls missed a penalty which would have made it three-nil, but it still got got worse for the Chats late on, Reece Butler dismissed, and then Ewan Sanchez added a third just before the end. There was time for a Town consolation, Sam Sene Richardson with that five minutes into added time, but it wasn’t much of a consolation. 

Cheshunt and Hashtag United met just north of the M25, the Ambers in nineteenth, the Tags a point better off in seventeenth at kick off. The Ambers had only one win in four in all competitions, but they went ahead in this one on twenty two minutes, Jeremy Bisau with his first of the season- but they were ahead for only a quarter of an hour before Misha Djemaili levelled for the visitors. Djemaili ensured that his name was writ large by putting the Tags ahead on fifty nine minutes, and two minutes later it was written on the match ball as he made it three-one. It was four on sixty eight minutes, Max Cornhill the latest scorer, but the Ambers got one back fifteen minutes from time, Vas Vasiliou giving the home fans a little hope- and that hope increased when Khris Obi brought it back to three-four. Could they? Sadly for those in Amber, they couldn’t. 

Cheshunt boss Craig Edwards was on the receiving end of a presentation marking his three hundredth match in charge of the Ambers- congratulations Craig.

Bognor Regis Town were back at Nyewood Lane, Cray Wanderers the visitors. Both sides had spent most of the season so far looking for form, which was why our eighteenth v twentieth match saw the sides with only a point between them at kick off. Wands were five unbeaten, including two FA Cup replay wins and a draw with Horsham, but they hadn’t defeated the Rocks in six attempts, and lost twice against them last season- and were soon behind in this one, Tommy-Lee Higgs scoring for the ninth time this season. The Rocks made it two right on half time, Spencer Spurway, on as a sub, scoring his first of the season, and it was match won when Dan Gifford added a third nineteen minutes from time, although Kenny Coker did get a consolation for Wands five minutes from time. Bognor go fifteenth, Wands slump to the bottom.