Rams go five clear on South East Tuesday

After Sittingbourne’s match at Margate was postponed, Ramsgate took advantage to extend their lead at the top of Pitching In Isthmian South East to five points- but they were eventually made to work hard for victory. The Rams travelled to face a Littlehampton Town side who were scrapping for points- and the Golds showed why, going three down before hitting back to give their visitors half an hour of worry.

It looked all too easy for the Rams to begin with. Joe Taylor’s thirty sixth goal of the season set them on the way midway through the first half, and Benny Bioletti soon added a second. On fifty eight minutes Alfie Paxman made it three-nil, and surely that was that- but then the hosts roused themselves and decided to make a fight of it. Josh Short quickly got a goal back, and two minutes after that he got another, leaving half an hour to find an equaliser. Sadly for the home fans- and perhaps for Sittingbourne- the equaliser wouldn’t come, and in added time the hosts went down to ten men, Scott Faber dismissed. 

Image from Tommy McMillan. 

Burgess Hill Town continued their fine run with a tight victory at Erith Town. The Hillians took only two minutes to take the lead, Marcus Allen the scorer, but the Dockers weren’t going to give up without a fight and levelled ten minutes into the second half, Harry Taylor with the equaliser. Sadly for the home fans in the Stanmore Stadium, parity lasted only three minutes, Martyn Box delivering the winner- a result which sees Hill in fourth place, nine points clear of sixth place Sheppey. The gap between Hill and top spot is a rather more distant seventeen points, but they do have three games in hand over the leaders, and that was their fifth win in a row.

Merstham are seventh after a narrow win at Broadbridge Heath. Finlay Johnson was the match winner for the Moatsiders, putting them ahead on sixty three minutes and scoring the winner thirteen minutes later, after Mark Goldson had levelled for the Bears. Merstham are six points away from the top five, but are four unbeaten, and have lost only two of their last ten. The Bears are eight points further back, in twelfth spot.

Three Bridges welcomed Eastbourne Town for a Sussex derby, and the two sides delivered an enormously entertaining encounter. Reece Hallard was the home star, scoring a hat trick. Bridges were two up at the break, Hallard scoring on thirty seven minutes and adding another in stoppage time- but James Waters quickly got a goal back three minutes into the second half. Just before the hour Hallard earned himself the match ball, but again Town hit back, Nathan Hover scoring for the third match in a row- his sixth goal of the season. Twelve minutes from time Noel Leighton made it four-two, and continued his record of scoring in every Bridges game he has played in this season, but deep in added time the visitors pulled it back to four-three, James Hull scoring from the spot. There was no time for an equaliser, and Bridges climb to fourteenth- courtesy of their fifth win in seven matches. Town are three points and one place further up. 

In the Velocity Cup Quarter Final, Billericay Town welcomed Sheppey United- a repeat of an FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round tie from last season which saw the Ites reached the promised land at the Blues expense. The home fans will have been delighted that lightning- or perhaps Itening (sorry, it’s early!)- didn’t strike twice, but they had to work hard for victory, the only goal of the match scored by De-Carrey Sheriff midway through the first half.