Scholars, Tags and Ambers triumph on away win Tuesday

After a long unbeaten run, Chatham Town seem to have lost their way a little. Tuesday night saw them welcome a resurgent Hashtag United, who made it ten matches unbeaten- and three wins from four- by scoring the only goal at the Bauvill Stadium, a goal which sent them above their hosts into seventh place- four points away from the top five and two points ahead of the Chats. The match changing moment might not have been the Matt Wooldridge goal on eighteen minutes which put the visitors ahead- instead it might have been the thirty third minute red card which saw the hosts go down to ten men, Simon Cooper sent off for a foul on Josh Osude. 

The Tags have now won both times they have travelled to Chatham, and perhaps the latest victory might feel like a little revenge for the Cup Final defeat last season. That’s three defeats in a row- each without scoring- for the Chats. 

One thousand, two hundred and eighty seven braved the cold. 

Folkestone Invicta had climbed to eighth place after a fine holiday season, and took a four match unbeaten run into their match with Cheshunt- but that run came to a crashing end as the Ambers turned on the style. Vas Vasiliou’s eleventh of the season gave the visitors the lead after just two minutes, and that was how it remained until ten minutes into the second half, when Tommy Wood doubled the advantage. Wood enjoyed that so much he decided to do it again, and waited only two more minutes top score his the third, and fifteen minutes from time Vasiliou rounded things off with a fourth. It’s the Ambers who are now four unbeaten- and victory opens up a four point gap between them and the drop zone. 

Six hundred and one watched on. Our image is from Helen Cooper. 

Canvey Island and Potters Bar Town were both rather desperate to return to winning ways. The hosting Gulls came into their match with the Scholars having lost their previous three matches without scoring a goal, and at least they ended their goalless run- the only problem was that they were two down by then. Both meetings between the sides last season ended in away wins, and Brandon Adams took only ten minutes to put the Tags ahead in this one, before, in first half added time, Steve Cawley added his thirteenth of the season, and it was certainly unlucky for the hosts, who suddenly had a mountain to climb. Substitute Kane Gilbert, introduced at half time, did get a goal back only eleven minutes after his arrival, but that was as good as it got for the home side.

The Scholars move into the top ten. The Gulls are sixteenth, five points clear of the drop zone.