Potters Bar Town last night opened up a four point gap at the top of the Pitching In Isthmian Premier- but we’ve really no idea how they managed it. As the clock ticked around to eighty one minutes at the Lantern Stadium last night it was visitors Lewes who were ahead, and indeed had a two goal cushion- and even as it reached the very last minute the Rooks were still ahead, and yet, somehow, it was the Scholars who took the points. We suspect that if there was ever a time for Scholars boss Sammy Moore to buy a lottery ticket, it’s now!
Joe Taylor opened the scoring for the visitors after just seven minutes, putting away a cross from Ayo Olukoga, and two minutes before the break the same player doubled the Rooks advantage, the ball laid to him from an indirect free kick to blast home. At this point the Scholars rallied, and Kasim Aidoo, who scored both goals in the victory at Haringey Borough at the weekend, added another to reduce the arrears- but only six minutes after the break TQ Addy restored the Rooks two goal cushion and with ten minutes to go the visitors were sitting comfortably. Sadly for the travelling faithful, the Scholars then set fire to their seats.
Miles-Mitchell Nelson pulled a goal back with nine minutes left, his deflected shot beating Lewis Carey in the Lewes goal, and suddenly it was all hands to the pumps for the visitors- but the pumps were defective. Just before the end Mo Kamara forced the ball home to level, and it looked as if the Rooks would have to settle for a point- but they didn’t even get that. Somehow, Rudy Allen found the time and space to volley home a fourth, and the Scholars had produced a comeback that even Lazarus would have found unlikely, ending the visitors seven match unbeaten run and ensuring that Town were sitting pretty at the summit.
We’d a match between eighth v ninth as Horsham played host to Cray Wanderers. The sides came into the match level on points and level on goal difference, the Hornets ahead only on goals scored- and that remained the same at the end, too, after Wands produced a second half comeback to take a point. The Hornets had only beaten Wands once in their previous sixteen attempts, but it looked like they were well on the way to victory at half time, as early goals from Lee Harding and Jack Mazzone left them comfortable- but that comfort was fleeting, as Anthony Cook reduced the arrears six minutes into the second half and Nyren Clunis levelled with seventeen minutes to go.
Bognor Regis Town are up to eleventh after victory over Bowers & Pitsea. Bowers, buoyed by the weekend’s win over title-chasing Aveley- their first league win in nearly three months, went behind six minutes before the break, and it was a familiar name on the scoresheet, Nathan Odokonyero with his sixteenth of the campaign. It took until fourteen minutes from time for a second goal to arrive, and that also went to the Rocks, Sam De St Croix making it two. Billy Crook quickly got one back from the spot and the visitors had eight minutes to level, but they couldn’t find a second goal and remain fourth from bottom.
In the blue corner of North London, Wingate & Finchley welcomed Corinthian-Casuals. The hosts were far too welcoming early on, giving away a spot kick which Elijah Simpson converted to give Casuals the lead. They held that lead until three minutes from time, and by then had ten men, Trey Masikini seeing red. It took only a minute for the ten men to crumble, Ben Siggers with the equaliser.
A number of our Premier Division sides were in action in the Velocity Cup.
In the Third Round Herne Bay welcomed Sevenoaks Town, a first match for new manager Kevin Watson- and his side did him proud, Laurence Harvey and two from Kymani Thomas putting them three up at the break. Rian Bray got one back for the visitors after the break, but Bay march on.
Kingstonian were on the road to Leatherhead, and made the journey home unhappy, after the Tanners triumphed. An own goal gave the hosts a half time lead, Corey Parchment equalised for the K’s on fifty six minutes, but Lewis Pearch delivered a winner for Leatherhead soon afterwards.
The Fourth Round had a North London derby between Haringey Borough and Enfield Town, a match which saw four goals and a penalty shootout. Marcus Wyllie gave the Towners an early lead, with Anthony Mendy levelling seven minutes before the break. Kaylen Hinds put the home side in front on sixty seven minutes, whilst Lewis Knight levelled soon afterwards to send the match to a shootout. Borough triumphed, four-three.
We also had a Kent seaside derby between Margate and Folkestone Invicta, which was won by James Bessey-Saldanha’s goal in the twenty seventh minute. Both sides later saw red, Ade Cole departing for the hosts, Robbie Dolan for the visitors.
To complete a trio of derby matches, we had a Sussex seaside derby between Whitehawk and Hastings United- and the Hawks got back to winning ways and slayed that giant. Rob O’Toole put them ahead on twenty six minutes, but United were level by the break as James Hull scored from the spot. After the break Joe Shelley made it two-one to the hosts, and a very late goal from Hamish Morrison made it three-one at full time.
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