Tanners return to the top

Our pacesetters, Moneyfields, started the day with a two point lead at the top, but the Moneys have played significantly more matches than the sides in pursuit so couldn't afford to relax, particularly as they were traveling to take on fourth place Hanworth Villa. The Villians were seven points behind their visitors, albeit with two games in hand, and protecting a seven match unbeaten run- and they were ahead on five minutes, Ben Geraghty opening the scoring. Josh Casey added a second thirteen minutes later, but Louis Gates quickly got one back for the visitors. Twelve minutes from time Sam Merson got the Villians third, and that was that.

Villa stay fourth- and complete a double, whilst the Moneys slip to second. Image from Nick Taylor. 

Second place Westfield started the afternoon two points away from the summit and with a rather incredible five games in hand. Field were heading to the seaside to take on a Bognor Regis Town side who were under new management, and who had one win in six- in contrast to the visitors, who were looking for a fifth win in a row.

Bognor made a breakthrough ten minutes after the break, Callum Laycock with the opener, but Finn Evans levelled almost immediately. Try as they might, neither side could find a winner. 

Leatherhead, our leaders for so long, slipped to third following their midweek defeat at the hands of Moneyfields. The Tanners travelled to third bottom Ascot United, and given that their away form is much, much better than their home form they were probably quite glad about that- and were in front after seven minutes, Nathan Hogan scoring from the spot. Cameron Black made it two just before the half hour, but the Yellas got back into the match with twenty one minutes to go, David Oupoh giving the home fans hope. That hope was to remain unfulfilled, and the Tanners return to the top- the Yellas four points from safety. 

AFC Portchester, in fifth, started the weekend with an eight point advantage over sixth place Hayes and Yeading United in the play off chase. The Royals were on the road to Met Police, the boys in blue four points above the drop zone and looking to recover from a four-one hammering by Southall in midweek- and that recovery started well, Daniel Pepple putting them ahead from the spot on nineteen minutes. The Royals drew level just before the break, Ryan Pennery with the equaliser, and with fifteen minutes remaining Pennery got another to put his side ahead. What they had, they held. 

Hayes and Yeading United were buoyed by their win against Leatherhead last weekend, but they faced the challenge of an in-form Kingstonian. The K’s climbed out of the bottom four in midweek and were five unbeaten, but they were quickly behind in this one, Harry Grant scoring the first goal of our Isthmian afternoon on two minutes. The visitors were soon level, however, Sean O’Brien equalising seven minutes later, but Brendan Matthew quickly restored home advantage. Amos Nasha made it three-one twenty four minutes from time, and the hosts stay sixth- eight points away from the top five with a game in hand. 

Harrow Borough were looking for a third successive win and a third successive clean sheet as they travelled to bottom side Fareham Town, and they looked well on the way to three points when Dernell Wynter put them ahead from the spot on seven minutes. Fareham, however, weren’t taking that lying down, and they levelled in first half added time, Dan Sibley making it one-one. Fifteen minutes from time Wynter struck again for the visitors, and that was that- Borough still seventh, twelve points away from the top five. 

Our ninth place side, Bedfont Sports, were at home to Hartley Wintney, the Row two points and yet five places worse off but with three, four, five and even six matches in hand over the sides around them, having managed to play only once since January 10th. Sports had only two defeats from ten and went ahead on the quarter hour through Tommy O’Neill, but they weren’t ahead for long, Jonny Efedje levelling. Sports restored their lead just before the break, Eduard Voinea making it two-one, but Efedje once again levelled with ten minutes remaining - and there was to be a twist in the tail, as Rahzir Smith-Jones scored eight minutes into added time to give the visitors three points. The Row climb to eleventh- now above their hosts. 

Egham Town, in tenth, hosted Binfield, the Moles three points further back and three points above the drop zone. Binfield had one defeat from ten, whilst the Sarnies were hoping to avoid a third loss in a row- but were in good form prior to the first of those defeats and ahead in this one on nineteen minutes, Ben Peden the scorer. Connor Cullen got a second for the hosts in added time at the end of the first half, but the visitors were back in the match when Nathanael Boakye got one back just after the hour. Cullen quickly added a third for the hosts, but five minutes into added time the Moles got a second, Monty Brady scoring from the spot. Sadly for the travelling fans, that was that- Egham up to eighth. 

Southall had climbed to eleventh after a run of one defeat in nine, and were hoping for a fourth win in succession as they travelled to second bottom Horndean. The Deans had lost their previous three, each of them heavily, and were fourteen points from safety- and they were behind in this one after seven minutes, Anthony O’Connor with the goal. Bright Siaw made it two a quarter of an hour later, and on the half hour Nnamdi Nwachuku made it three. 

Fifteen minutes from time Amadou Jalloh got one back for the hosts, and they weren’t finished, Lewis Olajide making it two-three with seven minutes left. Could they? They couldn’t- another win for The All. 

We had a massive match on the Sussex coast, as Littlehampton Town, two points above the drop zone in eighteenth, hosted the side directly behind them, Hendon. The Golds had gone seven without a win- albeit including four draws; whilst the Londoners had lost three in a row, and indeed four of their previous five. 

Hendon were ahead on thirteen minutes, Jadyn Dundas with the opener, but the Golds were soon level, Owen Spicer delighting the home faithful. That delight departed when the visitors restored their lead just after the hour, Florian Ada making it two-one, and they held on for three vital points to climb to seventeenth- their hosts replacing them in the bottom four.