One hundred percent Rooks!

This season we have a much changed Lewes side, but the lack of continuity didn’t seem to have had much of an impact as the Rooks had defeated title favourites Chatham Town and Sussex rivals Bognor Regis Town without conceding a single goal. They welcomed Hashtag United, who picked up their first win in midweek at Canvey Island, and it was the Tags who struck first, Toby Aromolaran silencing the Pan and removing that perfect defensive record after only eight minutes. The noise returned eight minutes before half time as Matt Warren levelled, and with nine minutes left Eddie Allsopp, who got a late winner at Bognor in midweek, did it again to send the Rooks to the top of the table- the only side to retain a one hundred percent record. 

Hastings United were presented with three Sussex derbies to start their season, and the third saw Bognor Regis Town make the trip to Pilot Field. The travelling Rocks hadn't had a positive start to the campaign, losing twice whilst United came into the match with a one hundred percent record. After a goalless first half Davide Rodari opened the scoring within three minutes of the second half starting, and he added a second with only fifteen minutes left, but Bognor then roused themselves. Tommy-Lee Higgs got a goal back for the visitors from the spot with eleven minutes to go, and four minutes later Callum Barlow earned them a point- a result which drops Hastings down to third. 

Carshalton Athletic were on the road to Sussex, where they visited Chichester City, the first ever meeting between the sides- or at least we couldn’t find any record of another! The Robins took the lead on the half hour, Steve Gody with the opener, but four minutes before the break Mo Jammeh found an equaliser. Into the closing stages we headed, and there were only eighteen minutes left on the clock when the Robins regained their lead, Thomas Stagg with the goal. Stagg added a third ten minutes later- his efforts sending Athletic up to second place. 

Cheshunt and their hosts, Cray Valley PM, had both had a positive start to the campaign. The Ambers were unbeaten after a win against Bognor and a draw with Bowers, whilst the Millers were unlucky to be defeated by Dartford on the opening weekend and were excellent in victory over local rivals Cray Wanderers in midweek. The Millers broke the deadlock on eleven minutes, Danny Waldren with the opener, and on nineteen minutes Freddie Parker, superb in midweek, added a second. The calamities continued for Cheshunt when Cam Tumkaya added a third on twenty three minutes, and it got worse three minutes into the second half, Parker making it four-nil to the Millers. The Ambers finally got going, and they did get two goals back, Darion Furlong and Taylor Curran with them, but they had no impact on the destination of the points. The Millers will be delighted to be up to fourth. 

Hendon and Cray Wanderers met a few miles away from the current beating heart of Swiftmania, both sides after suffering defeat in midweek- and the Greens were the quickest to shake it off, opening the scoring from the spot on sixteen minutes, Joe White keeping his cool. The hosts added another five minutes before the break, Shaun Lucien with it, and a third within five minutes of the second half- Kai Omoko Brosnan with that one. With nineteen minutes to go Nyren Clunis got one back for Wands, but it was no more than a consolation. The Greens go fifth. 

Dartford looked to bounce back from midweek defeat against Potters Bar Town as they welcomed Canvey Island to Princes Park. The Gulls had lost both of their opening matches so will have been rather desperate to get some points on the board, but the Darts had other ideas. Sam Odaudu opened the scoring just after the hour, Christian Tyler-Law got a second twenty minutes later, and Dartford are sixth- and nine unbeaten against the Gulls, although there has been almost a decade and a half between this meeting and the previous one.  

Horsham and Potters Bar Town had both picked up their first wins of the campaign in midweek, and the two sides met at the Hop Oast Community Stadium hoping that was the beginning of a winning run. Town have taken only one point from the last five meetings between the clubs, the Hornets doing the double last season- but they went ahead in this one, Steve Cawley- who got the winner at Dartford on Tuesday- striking again, this time after seventeen minutes. The Hornets were level nine minutes later, Daniel Ajakaiye doing what he does best, and just after the half hour Ola Ogunwamide put the hosts ahead. In added time at the end of the first half Chris Dickson got a third, and although Cawley got a second for the Scholars in added time at the end of the second half it was too little, too late. Horsham are seventh. 

Third place at kick off, Billericay Town looked as if they’d top the midweek table, but then Chatham Town spoiled their party with an added time equaliser. The Blues were back on their own patch against another fancied side, Dover Athletic, who won eight-nil on opening day before falling to narrow defeat against local rivals Folkestone Invicta in midweek. George Nikaj scored his fifth goal of the season to open the scoring for Athletic on seventy two minutes, but Ashley Nzala quickly levelled for the Blues. Billericay slip to eight, Athletic are ninth. 

Wingate & Finchley v Folkestone Invicta was tied at three-three, when the match was abandoned close to full time due to a serious injury to a player. We await more information. 

Dulwich Hamlet, who defeated Hendon in midweek with the latest of late goals, were at home once more. Whitehawk were the visitors, the Hawks still looking for their first point and their first goal- and they had the latter after fifteen minutes, Charlie Lambert opening the scoring, but former Hawks striker Danny Mills levelled just after the half hour. Mills put Hamlet ahead five minutes into the second half, only for Charlie Walker to quickly level for the Hawks- and the visitors were ahead once more with thirteen minutes left, Emmanuel Mensah making it three-two. Luke Wanadio has started the season in sparkling form for Hamlet, and it was his equaliser- his fourth goal in three matches- which ensured that the hosts took a point. That said, he had earlier shown his human side, by missing a penalty.

Finally, Bowers and Pitsea and Chatham Town were still looking for that first victory. Bowers held Cheshunt on their own patch in midweek after a narrow opening day defeat at Hendon, whilst title-favourites Chatham picked up their first point with a late goal against Billericay Town. It looked as if both sides would have to settle for a point, but eight minutes from time Rowan Liburd put the visitors ahead- and deep in added time Jack Evans made it two.