Wins for the top three mean it's as you were in the South East title race

Leaders Beckenham Town held a four point lead at the top as we kicked off our weekend, but with Ramsgate and Sittingbourne having many games in hand Becks couldn't afford to slacken their pace. Looking for a sixth consecutive win they welcomed Broadbridge Heath, and went ahead on the quarter hour, Tyler Anderson with the opener. The Bears were level at the break, Mason Doughty with the equaliser ten minutes before half time, but a Louis Theophanous double on sixty two and sixty five minutes put Becks back in the driving seat. Matthew Hay made things interesting, pulling it back to three-two eight minutes from time, but the hosts held out to remain four points clear. 

Second place Ramsgate were the biggest of favourites as they welcomed Steyning Town, not only because they were unbeaten after twelve matches and had won eleven of them, but because their visitors travelled having lost nine in a row. The Rams went ahead after twelve minutes, and you can probably guess the scorer, Joe Taylor getting his twenty second goal of the season. Within four minutes it was two-nil, Alfie Paxman doubling the advantage, and the third goal arrived on twenty two minutes, Josh Ajayi the scorer. That was that for the first half, and the Barrowman gave themselves a lifeline when Harry Shooman scored on sixty five minutes- but the final word went to the Rams, Roarie Deacon adding a fourth right at the end. 

Third place Sittingbourne, Manager of the Month award intact, were hoping to avoid a curse as they hosted Deal Town. The Brickies were looking for a sixth consecutive league win, and they made the breakthrough on thirty five minutes through Codey Cosgrave, before doubling their lead just before the break, Henry Sinai making it two. That was all we had until the match exploded into life in the closing stages, Jack Steventon with a third eight minutes from time, Joe Boachie with a fourth on eighty eight minutes, and Ryan Kingsford with the fifth in added time. That’s seven wins in a row, six clean sheets, and twenty eight goals for the Brickies. 

Margate, with only one league defeat all season, welcomed the side who inflicted that defeat- fifth place Burgess Hill Town- to Hartsdown Park. Gate were looking for a sixth successive win, Hill for a sixth win in eight and an eight match unbeaten run, but in the end both sides had to settle for a point. Ibrahim Olutade opened the scoring for the hosts nineteen minutes from time, but the visitors levelled with two minutes to go- Alex Brewer the scorer. They remain fourth and fifth respectively. 

There were three points between Sheppey United, in sixth, and Merstham, in eighth, as the sides got underway at Holm Park. The Moatsiders were three unbeaten, and went ahead on nineteen minutes, Aidan Brown the scorer, before doubling their advantage on twenty six minutes as Charlie Greenwood scored from the spot. The Ites struck back six minutes later, Jacob Lambert’s eighth of the season, and after the break they turned the match on its head. Dan Bradshaw levelled on sixty three minutes only for the Moatsiders to immediately make it three-two, Korey Henry scoring at the other end, but the Ites equalised again on seventy three minutes through Lambert’s second of the match, and in added time Eitel Moumi Goueth made it four-three and sent the home crowd rather wild. Image from Marc Richards. 

Erith Town were on the road to AFC Croydon Athletic. The Dockers were three unbeaten in the league, whilst the Rams had been in exceptional form, and in all competitions had a ten match unbeaten run to protect. Both sides saw those runs continue, but neither saw a goal, the only excitement a red card for the Dockers Aaron Jeffrey right at the end. 

Hythe Town, one point above the bottom four at kick off, welcomed mid table Sevenoaks Town to Reachfields. The Cannons had lost seven of their previous nine and this one didn’t start well, either, as they fell behind in the first minute, Jefferson Aibangbee with the first goal of any of our three o’clock kick offs. It was two-nil on nineteen minutes, Aibangbee scoring from the spot, but then things began to go wrong for the visitors, a red card for Ryan Sawyer, a goal from the spot for Anthony Adesite for the hosts, and nine minutes later Adesite got an equaliser. Sadly for the home faithful, who haven’t had much to shout about of late, the ten men powered to victory after the break, Rodney Eruotor making it three-two before Aibangbee got his hat trick courtesy of a penalty eight minutes from time. Oaks are eleventh. 

Herne Bay travelled to Eastbourne Town for a seaside special. Both sides were on rather unenviable runs, Bay having taken one point from their previous four matches, Town having lost each of their previous four, so victory would have been welcome at both ends of the stadium. Bay defeated Town with an added time goal last month, so revenge would have ben particularly sweet for the home faithful, as they watched their side score two second half goals without reply. James Ding got the first on fifty six minutes, Marcin Ruda rounded things off on eighty six, and Town went above their visitors into thirteenth. 

East Grinstead Town hoped to put a run of three defeats from four- and indeed seven from ten- behind them as they welcomed bottom side Phoenix Sports to College Lane. Sports started the day six points from safety and had only one win all season, that coming a week ago against Steyning Town- and they were quickly behind in this one, too, Charlie Harris breaking the deadlock on nine minutes. Eight minutes into the second half Sports were level, Richard Pingling scoring from the spot, and then the match rather exploded into life during the last twenty minutes. First, Kieran Humpherston put the Wasps ahead, and then two minutes later Jabari Christmas made it three-one. Kiye Martin quickly got a goal back, a third goal in three minutes, and the visitors had seventeen minutes to find an equaliser. Instead the next goal came at the other end, Matt Daniel making it four-two in the last minute of regular time. 

Neither Littlehampton Town nor their visitors Three Bridges were in particularly dominant form, but Bridges knew that victory would lift them out of the bottom four and take them above their hosts, and they made the breakthrough on nineteen minutes, Reece Hallard the scorer. They made it two eight minutes later, Francis Junior Ze with the goal, but that galvanised the hosts and on thirty seven minutes Joe Benn halved the arrears before Rob O’Toole got an equaliser just three minutes later. Just before the hour O’Toole put his side ahead for the first time, and on seventy four minutes the Golds were awarded a spot kick, which Jordan Layton converted for four-two. In added time Bridges also got a penalty, Ben Holden keeping his cool to make it four-three, but there was no time for an equaliser and Littlehampton are up to fourteenth, Bridges remain in the bottom four. 

Lancing, second bottom and six points from safety, were under new management and had new hope as they welcomed Ashford United- and as it turned out, their hope was justified. The Lancers had gone nine matches without a win- eight defeats- and they went behind in this one, Gary Lockyer’s fifteenth of the season putting the visitors ahead on twenty seven minutes. The Nuts and Bolts have been superb at times this season, but consistently inconsistent, and lost their  fourth match in a row as the Lancers roared back after the break. Noel Fisher got the equaliser on fifty five minutes, and then six minutes later Knory Scott got what proved to be the winner, lifting his side to within three points of safety.