One hundred percent Farnham hit the top

Isuzu FA Trophy

South Central side Ascot United welcomed South East side Margate in a match which promised much. The Yellas had won their last six matches in League and Cups, particularly delighting their supporters as the last four of those have been on their own Racecourse Ground, whilst the visitors hadn’t lost a match all season. We waited seventy one minutes for a goal, and it went to the hosts, Taylor Morgan the scorer. That was that, finally a defeat for Gate, seven wins in a row for United. 

Another South East v South Central match saw Ashford United welcome Hartley Wintney to Homelands. The Nuts and Bolts were yet to win in the league but throw a knockout competition at them and they come out swinging, having already won five cup ties this season- and they went ahead in this one two minutes after half time, Gary Lockyer the rather unsurprising scorer, his ninth of the season. Lockyer was into double figures on sixty six minutes, two-nil, but the Row made things interesting with a goal back ten minutes from time, Sam Bartlett with it. The hosts, however, held on to progress. 

Horndean had a rather long trip down to Devon, where they took on Exmouth Town of Pitching In Southern Division One South. Town are currently in fourth place, and had won their last two, but it was the Deans who got themselves in front midway through the first half, Waledin Ahmad the scorer. The hosts levelled from the spot eleven minutes before half time, but the Deans were ahead once more one minute into the second half, Rudi Blankson making it two-one. What they had, they held, and had a happy if lengthy trip home. 

South East title chasers Ramsgate was the destination for South Central Raynes Park Vale. The Rams had lost only once in any competition this season- a much changed side departing the Velocity Cup on penalties in midweek- and were full of confidence, particularly with Joe Taylor doing his usual in front of goal, eleven goals already. He made it twelve midway through the first half with the opening goal, and then ten minutes before the break Lewis Gard got into the act, making it two. Vale hit back in the early stages of the second half, an own goal giving them hope, and they had yet more hope when the Rams saw Aaron Barnes dismissed with fifteen minutes left, but they were unable to take advantage.

Sevenoaks Town, who became the first side to defeat Ramsgate this season with a Velocity Cup shootout win in midweek, played host to South Central Leatherhead. The two sides met in the FA Cup just over a month ago, the Tanners winning two-nil, but Oaks went ahead in this one, Jefferson Aibangbee breaking the deadlock on nineteen minutes. They then suffered a red card, however, Ryan Sawyer sent off, and Andre Date quickly equalised from the spot. The Tanners went ahead eleven minutes into the second half, George Hedley the scorer, and they held on for victory. 

Sittingbourne filled Blakey’s Shed for the visit of Kingstonian. The Brickies put out a rather youthful side in Velocity Cup defeat in Erith in midweek, which ended a six match unbeaten run- and they’d been pretty much perfect at home, with four wins and a draw- and that draw came against Premier side Dover Athletic, who were defeated in the replay, so they were full of confidence and it showed, as they went ahead on the half hour through Troy Howard and quickly added another, Mitchell May making it two with his eighth of the season. May added another- this one from the spot- on fifty two minutes, and just after the hour the Brickies had a fourth, Henry Sinai the latest on the scoresheet. Joe Hicks scored for the visitors seventeen minutes from time, but that was as good as it got for the K’s. 

Uxbridge had found form of late, their last four matches bringing three wins and a draw- and twelve goals- and they welcome an AFC Croydon Athletic side who were without a manager. The travelling Rams had been rather hit and miss this season, and they were very much miss when Ada Okorogheye put the hosts ahead on nineteen minutes, and it got worse for the visitors just before half time, Josh Addae making it two. The Rams hit back seven minutes into the second half, Brandon Pierrick halving the arrears, but the Red Army were able to celebrate victory at full time. 

Westfield welcomed Thame United of Pitching In Southern Division One Central, United having already played two Isthmian sides in Cup competitions this season, Wingate and Finchley hitting them for four in the FA Cup but Steyning Town being hit for five in the last round of the Trophy. The visitors started well at Woking Park, going ahead from the spot on the quarter hour, and doubled their lead just after the half hour. Field made a match of it by halving the deficit on sixty five minutes, Manolis Gogonas from the spot, but the killer blow arrived in added time, a third for United ensuring their progression. 

South Central

With leaders Harrow Borough having a weekend off and second place Westfield in Trophy action, Farnham Town (pictured, courtesy of the club) knew they would hit the top if they could defeat Ashford Town. Farnham had been scoring goals with reckless abandon, an average of four a match bringing four league wins from four so far, and the chief contributor to that total was striker Owen Dean- who started this match with his ninth goal of the season after just four minutes. The Tangerines hit back just before the half hour mark, Basim Mirtahmasebi equalising, but the hosts got a winner six minutes from time, Harry Cooksley sending them to the summit. 

Hanworth Villa were hoping to climb into the top five with victory at Binfield. The Villains hadn’t had much luck on the road, losing three of their four matches on their travels this season prior to their trip to the Iconic Stadium, and that trend looked as if it might continue when Kickie Dzimba put the Moles ahead on twenty three minutes. It looked even more likely when Daniel Fosu made it two just before half time, but the Villains made the closing stages interesting by pulling a goal back twenty minutes from time, George Wells the scorer. Just how interesting became apparent in added time, as Wells got an equaliser. That was that- and Villa go fifth. 

Hayes and Yeading United knew they might climb into the top five if they could defeat South Park Reigate at the Skyex. United had played five times on their own patch this season and emerged victorious four times, so were be favourites, and they showed why by going ahead on twenty minutes and increasing their lead six minutes later, Herson Alves and Adrian Clifton the scorers. The Sparks got a goal back in added time at the end of the match, Conan Torpey with it, but it was too late for them to find an equaliser. United are sixth, the visitors are still looking for a first league win- but that was their first league defeat. 

Met Police were back at Imber Court, Rayners Lane the visitors. Eight matches this season had seen only two wins for the Boys in Blue, and only one in five when we looked solely at the league; whilst Lane only had one win in ten in all competitions, so we suspected this would be close. Met went ahead with twenty one minutes left, Ben Mendoza with the opener, but they were ahead for only ten minutes before Frank Keita levelled. That’s where the scoring stopped. 

Badshot Lea were searching once more for that first win of the season, as they welcomed Sutton Common Rovers. The Baggies only win in ten attempts so far this season had been in the cup back on August 17th, and they very much needed some league points; whilst Rovers had lost four of their last five in all competitions despite not playing badly in any of them. The visitors broke through five minutes before half time, Charlie Stallard the scorer, and on sixty seven minutes Troy Walters made it two. In added time Walters added a third, a comfortable win confirmed for the visitors, who are ninth.