Late Rams hit the summit- whilst the Brickies march on

Leaders Beckenham Town have been in superb form, winning match after match- and yet as they went for their seventh win in a row they must have been a little discomforted by the fact that second place Ramsgate had kept pace with them and, courtesy of games in hand, closed the gap to just one point. Becks travelled to eighth place Merstham, and quickly suffered rather more discomfort, as the Moatsiders went ahead after two minutes- Lee Lewis- and on eight minutes made it two nil, Sam King the scorer. The visitors then struck back, Freddie Nyhus up from the back to halve the deficit, but a Charlie Greenwood spot kick restored Merstham’s two goal cushion with twenty three minutes left. Louis Theophanous scored his twelfth goal in thirteen matches to bring Becks back into the match once more, but seven minutes from time Sam King made it four-two, and that was finally that. Merstham are in eighth and scoring goals for fun, whilst Beckenham’s run at the top ended as they dropped to second. 

Ramsgate travelled to take on Sevenoaks Town, and took with them a perfect away record- indeed the only side to take anything from them so far this season had been fifth place Burgess Hill Town, who escaped with a draw. The Rams defeated the Oaks five-one as recently as October 29th, and they were quickly ahead in this one, their opening goal on five minutes coming from- of course- Joe Taylor, the striker taking his tally to twenty four. Oaks had only lost two of their previous ten and we expected them to fight hard, and they levelled on twenty seven minutes, James Jeffrey with the equaliser. The Rams regained the lead nine minutes into the second half, Taylor again, but once more Oaks weren’t prepared to lie down, and Jefferson Aibangbee drew them level once more with twenty one minutes left. We headed into added time with the points about to be shared, but with an extra two minutes played the inevitable happened- Taylor completed his hat trick. This one came from the spot, took him onto twenty six for the season, and took his side to the summit. 

Sittingbourne, in FA Trophy action,  took the trip to the cathedral city of Winchester. Hosts Winchester City are just outside the drop zone in Pitching In Southern Premier South, and had struggled on their own patch, winning only once in the league- but they were four unbeaten in all competitions. The Brickies had won their last seven matches in all competitions, kept six clean sheets and conceded only one goal, and already had three giantkillings to their name this season (including Dover Athletic twice!), but they fell behind against these latest ‘giants’ City making the breakthrough a minute before half time. Nine minutes from time the Brickies were awarded a spot kick, and Mitchell May kept his nerve to score his twentieth goal of the season- but in the closing stages we had a melee of red cards, two for the hosts, and May getting his marching orders for the Brickies. That was that, off to penalties, and Sittingbourne managed to slay yet another Step Three side, winning five-four on penalties. 

Fourth place Margate travelled to Chatham Town to take on Three Bridges (who must be desperate for their ground to be finished so they can move home once more). Gate had lost only once this season, and only the top two had won more matches on the road, whilst Bridges were always on the road, hadn’t managed a ‘home’ win (perhaps because they haven’t actually been there), and had only two wins from their last ten. Two Ben Greenhalgh goals had given Gate a two-nil win when the sides met at Hartsdown Park last month, and they went ahead in this one in first half added time, a penalty seeing Ibrahim Olutade break the deadlock. They weren’t ahead for long as Hayden Velvick scored for the hosts within seconds of the second half commencing, but Gate restored their lead on the hour, Harrison Hatful making it two-one. A minute from time asn own goal made it three-one, and a red card for Bridges Josh Hallard only rubbed salt into the wound. 

Burgess Hill Town hoped to stretch their unbeaten run to nine matches, but faced a tough task as Sheppey United travelled to the edge of the nature reserve for a fifth v sixth battle. After a goalless first half- although Ites keeper Aidan Prall saved a penalty to keep it that way- Hill immediately made a breakthrough in the second, Reggie Ward giving them the lead, and within eight minutes it was two-nil, Alex Brewer with his seventh of the season. It quickly got even worse for the visitors, Brannon O’Neill making it three just before the hour, and Hill opened up a four point gap between themselves and sixth place, the Ites slipping to seventh. 

Erith Town welcomed Hythe Town to Thamesmead. The Dockers started the day four points away from the top five but are having a very positive first Isthmian season, and were looking to extend their unbeaten run to five matches; whilst the Cannons found themselves a point above the drop zone at kick off and without a win on the road, having won only one- and lost eight- of their previous ten. The hosts went ahead six minutes before half time, Harry Taylor the scorer, and on seventy five minutes George Goodwin made it two. The Dockers won the first match between the sides this season, on September 21st, by five goals to nil- James Dyer with a hat trick doing most of the damage- and Dyer struck again on eighty minutes to take this one to three-nil, which was how it ended. Erith are up to sixth, Hythe a point above the drop zone. 

Deal Town played host to Littlehampton Town, ninth v fifteenth, six points between them at the start. Deal had lost their previous two and had been rather inconsistent, but had defeated the Golds four-two as recently as October 29th, so perhaps it wasn’t a surprise when Archie Hatcher put them aheads just before the hour, or when Ife Oni made it two only two minutes later. The Golds got back into the match ten minutes from time, Dion Jarvis the scorer, but the hosts clinched victory six minutes into added time, Ife Oni making it three-one. Deal are ninth. 

AFC Croydon Athletic headed to Sussex to take on Steyning Town. The travelling Rams were a little unlucky to lose at Carshalton in the Velocity Cup in midweek, but prior to that had been in good form, and took a nine match unbeaten run in the league to face the Barrowmen. Steyning had been in terrible form, losing ten league matches in a row, including three-one in Croydon three and a half weeks ago- and they looked well on the way to making that eleven as Luke Dreher put the Rams ahead just after the half hour. The hosts rallied, however, and drew level on sixty eight minutes, Danny Howick with the goal, and that was that. Steyning are twenty first, the middle one of three clubs on seven points. The Rams are tenth. 

Broadbridge Heath took on Eastbourne Town in a Sussex derby. The Bears saw a late, late equaliser deprive them of three points against Sevenoaks Town last time out, and had been better on the road than at home so far this season, whilst Town had also had more success on their travels so wouldn’t have been too worried by the journey. The Bears quickly roared into the lead, Mark Goldson’s goal coming after just six minutes, but Town’s Dan Hull, called into action from the bench on nineteen minutes, drew his side level just before half time. The visitors went ahead with twenty three minutes to go, James Waters the scorer, and they held on to climb to twelfth. 

East Grinstead Town headed to Ashford United with a three point and four place advantage over their hosts. Both sides had been rather inconsistent but had both won their previous matches and were trying to build on that. United made the breakthrough on thirteen minutes, a penalty giving James Dunne a chance which he took, and they were entirely in control by half time, a Louis Collins double on thirty three and forty minutes giving them a commanding three-nil lead. The second half was entirely devoid of goals, and the Nuts and Bolts are up to thirteenth- above the Wasps on goal difference. 

Finally, we had a bottom three battle as Phoenix Sports welcomed Lancing, three points and Steyning Town sitting between them in the table. Sports had only one win this season, the Lancers had two, and the visitors were hoping to do the double over their hosts- but they fell behind early on, Richard Pingling scoring after just five minutes. On fifty minutes Deshane Dalling made it two, and within two minutes it was three-nil, the same player leaving the visitors hopes hanging by a thread. Lancing got a goal back on sixty one minutes, Noel Fisher the scorer, but that was as good as it got for the visitors, Sports joining them on seven points- three away from safety.