Written by Scott W (Twitter: @ScottMHC14)
Hello & welcome to ‘bonus’ round-up of this weekend’s Isthmian Premier Division action here on my blog. Ahead of this weekend’s weather-affected programme, there was approximately three months of the season remaining before the end-of-season play-offs take over proceedings.
Here is the aforementioned round-up of the results this weekend:
Saturday 20th January
Billericay Town P – P Harrow Borough
| Venue: New Lodge
Despite the hard work of the club groundsman, the match referee deemed the surface unplayable due to a waterlogged pitch.
Burgess Hill Town P – P Enfield Town
This match was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.
Dorking Wanderers 2 – 2 Harlow Town
| Venue: Westhumble Community Stadium | Attendance: 212
Mid-table Dorking were held at home by struggling Harlow at Westhumble. James McShane put the hosts in the first minute before Lewis Putman doubled the lead 11 minutes later. Harlow, who sold Junior Dadson to Cray Wanderers this week, got back into the match just before the break as Jared Small struck to halve their arrears. Toby Ajala completed the comeback for Town with the leveller 13 minutes from time. Wanderers’ unbeaten run extends to five matches now and sit 16th while Harlow’s mixed form continues, with five defeats in their last nine league matches as they remain 20th.
Dulwich Hamlet 1- 2 Merstham
| Venue: Champion Hill | Attendance: 1,692
Dulwich were the victim of a spirited late comeback at Champion Hill, in front of nearly 1,700 fans. Hamlet led on the quarter-hour as Ashley Carew had put them ahead, though after the break a brace from Charlie Penny [77′ & 81′] turned the tide of the match and in doing so, handed Merstham their first win in seven league outings. League leaders Dulwich’s second defeat on-the-trot sees them concede ground to chasers Billericay who now have seven matches in hand on Gavin Rose’s side. Merstham rise to 17th spot after a super afternoon for them.
Folkestone Invicta P – P Lowestoft Town
| Venue: Fullicks Stadium
This match was postponed, presumably due to a waterlogged pitch.
Kingstonian 0 – 1 Brightlingsea Regent
| Venue: Fetcham Grove | Attendance: 221
An early goal from Robert Harvey [7′] was enough to give Brightlingsea all three points at Fetcham Grove. The K’s have now only won two of their last nine league encountersand they fall to 18th spot. Regent are now unbeaten in four matches and rise to 12th spot in the table.
Leiston P – P Tonbridge Angels
| Venue: Victory Road
This match was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.
Margate 3- 2 Tooting & Mitcham Utd
| Venue: Hartsdown Park | Attendance: 542
Play-off chasing Margate held off Tooting in a challenging encounter to record the win at Hartsdown Park. The visitors took a surprise lead through Peter Wedgeworth’s second-minute strike before hot-shot Jordan Chiedozie restored parity for the ‘Gate from the penalty spot 12 minutes later. Chiedozie struck again just four minutes later to wrestle the initative back for Steve Watt’s side. Three minutes after the break, Sam Blackman made it 3-1 before Chace O’Neill’s goal [65′] ensured a tight finish. Even so, Margate recorded the win and their unbeaten stretch extends to five matches now as they rise to 6th spot. Tooting’s struggles go on as they lost for the fourth match in-a-row, remaining second-bottom, just four points clear of bottom side Burgess Hill having played four games more.
Needham Market 3 – 3 Hendon
| Venue: Bloomfields | Attendance: 239
The Marketmen struck late to clinch a point in this topsy-turvy encounter at Bloomfields. The hosts led twelve minutes in through Jeremiah Kamanzi’s opener though on 33 minutes, play-off chasing Hendon levelled courtesy of Josh Walker’s strike. After the break, a quick-fire brace from Ashley Nathaniel-George [50′ & 53′] put Hendon in command though out-of-form Needham grabbed a point after Adam Mills struck with a brace of his own [60′ & 88′]. Needham’s winless run goes on though, now sitting at six matches as they remain 21st, six points clear of the solitary relegation place. Hendon’s good run continues with five wins & two losses in their last nine matches, they sit 5th, in the play-offs by virtue of superior goal difference.
Staines Town P – P Worthing | Venue: Wheatsheaf Park
This match was postponed due to an unplayable pitch.
Thurrock 2- 0 Leatherhead
Venue: Ship Lane | Attendance: 162
Mark Stimson’s side emerged from this battle at Ship Lane with another important three points in the bag. First-half goals from Remi Sutton [37′] and Michael Pindy secured the win, their fourth in their last nine matches now, as they rise to 13th spot. Leatherhead’s eight-match unbeaten league run ended here though player-boss Sammy Moore’s side are still well-placed in 10th spot, just three points outside the play-off places.
Wingate & Finchley 1 – 0 Metropolitan Police
Venue: Summers Lane | Attendance: 90
Wingate edged to victory in this match between two play-off chasing sides at Summers Lane. After a match that didn’t quite fizz into life in the first half, five minutes after the break Wingate striker Afolabi Obafemi broke the deadlock to eventually seal the points over Jim Cooper’s determined Met side. The hosts’ have now won six of their last nine league outings as they go up to 9th place while Met Police are still on a decent run themselves with only three losses in their last nine matches after today. They reside in 8th place, a point ahead of their opponents here and just two points off the play-offs.
That’s your lot for this weekend in the Premier Division though you can find my other articles here – Bostik Division North: survivor16b.wordpress.com/2018/01/20/bostik-division-north-round-up-20-1-18/
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