Four is the magic number

Billericay Town kicked off against Dartford last night holding the only unbeaten record in Pitching In Isthmian Premier- and they still held that record at full time, too. The Blues took only two minutes to go ahead, Tom Bender heading home Jack Paxman’s corner, and nine minutes before half time they added another, Frankie Merrifield scoring from close range. Moses Emmanuel put the Blues out of sight with a third on the hour, and eight minutes from time Matt Johnson added a fourth. Billericay are now only a point behind leaders Lewes, having played the same number of matches. 

The opening stages of Canvey Island’s match with Cray Valley PM were packed with goals. The Millers took only two minutes to go ahead, Danny Waldren heading home a corner, but only a minute later the Gulls were level, Chris Harris taking advantage of a defensive mix up. On eleven minutes the Gulls were ahead, Jaxon Brown chipping home, but nine minutes before the break Matthew Vigor brought the visitors level. Brown wasn’t happy with that, and only three minutes later his fourth goal in six matches put the Gulls ahead once more, and that was that for a frantic first half.

The second half did its best to be as crazy as the first, with Conor Hubble making it four-two to the hosts from the spot on fifty seven minutes, before Mohammed Idris Oshilaja quickly headed home to bring it back to four-three. A red card for the visitors substitute Adam Combes looked to have put paid to their chances, but the ten men thought otherwise, and eight minutes from time Freddie Parker got the eighth- and this time, final- goal of a crazy game to make it four-four. That was Parker’s seventh of the campaign, and it left the Millers sixth, whilst the Gulls are nineteenth. 

Dover Athletic and Bognor Regis Town (pictured, courtesy of the hosts) both hoped to get back to winning ways as they met on the Kent coast. After a goalless first half, Dover moved up to third by scoring the only goal of the game just thirteen minutes from time. George Nikaj has been in fine form in front of goal this season, and his latest goal took him into double figures- his ten goals coming in only eleven matches.