REVIEW | TUESDAY ACTION

Plenty of drama across all four divisions

There was action across all four of our divisions on Tuesday evening.

In the Pitching In Southern League Premier South, it was honours even between the top two as Merthyr Town and AFC Totton played out a 1-1 draw at Penydarren Park. Ricardo Rees opened the scoring for the home side with just over ten minutes to go until the break, but it was cancelled out by Joe Oastler on the stroke of half-time and that’s how it remained.

A Jack Mazzone brace helped Chertsey Town to a 2-1 victory over Poole Town. Mazzone opened the scoring on 36 minutes but parity was restored within five minutes through Tom Hewlett. The winner eventually arrived with just six minutes left on the clock.

Also winning 2-1 was Marlow as they secured a vital three points in the quest to climb the table. Naheer Nawaf gave them a first half lead only for visitors, Tiverton Town, to draw level early in the second period through Gabriel Billington. What proved to be the winner came from Sebastian D'Aversa on 66 minutes.

There was a victory for Taunton Town as they beat Gosport Borough 3-1. Eddie Jones put the hosts in front on the quarter-hour mark and then Nick Grimes doubled the advantage as the interval approached. Samuel Faniyan pulled a goal back for the visitors only for Tom Purrington to kill off any hopes of a comeback.

Talking of comebacks, Bracknell Town grabbed a stoppage time leveller to draw 3-3 at Plymouth Parkway in a game which saw them two goals behind before ten minutes had even been played. The home side took an early lead thanks to another goal from Callum Hall and it wasn’t long before Dylan Jones made it 2-0. A goal from Liam Tack gave the away team hope but five minutes later, recent arrival, Taylor Scarff notched another goal to make it 3-1 at the break. Dan Roberts pulled another goal back on the hour before Gabriel
George levelled things up in stoppage time.

Over in the Pitching In Southern League Premier Central, a goal in each half gave Halesowen Town a 2-0 victory over Stamford AFC. Josh Smile brought plenty of happiness to the Yeltz as he broke the deadlock before Conor Tee converted from the penalty spot early in the second period.

Also winning by the same scoreline was fellow high-flyers, Stratford Town, who saw off the challenge of St. Ives Town thanks to first half strikes from Dan Lafferty and Owen James.

There was a big boost for Alvechurch as they secured a 4-0 away win at Lowestoft Town. Dylan Allen-Hadley set the tone with a goal in the opening minute and it was followed by further goals from Joseph Willis, Krystian Pearce and Archie Crowther. It certainly made the long journey home a happy one!

Bromsgrove Sporting also had some away day joy as they beat Bishop’s Stortford 2-0 thanks to an Ashley Carter opener in the tenth minute and a late strike from James Meddows.

Coming from behind to beat Stourbridge were Spalding United. Ethan Freemantle set the visiting Glassboys on their way with 18 minutes on the clock, but Joseph Nyahwema was able to bring the sides level within the opening ten minutes of the second period before Abduramane Sano Sani hit the winner.

A Jutorre Burgess goal midway through the second half was enough to give Harborough Town a 1-0 triumph over AFC Sudbury, for their fifth victory in a row, as Harry Titchmarsh and Henry Snee helped Hitchin Town beat Redditch United 2-1, with Jack Kelly grabbing a late consolation effort for the away team.

The evening’s other game saw Royston Town and AFC Telford United share six goals. James Armson had given the Bucks the lead only for quickfire strikes from Luke Johnson and Ben Weyman turn the scoreline on its head in the closing stages of the opening period. The hosts wasted little time at the start of the second half to further increase their lead only for Matty Stenson and Reece Styche to strike late on to earn a share of the spoils.

There were just two games in the Pitching In Southern League Division One South as Evesham United had a good 4-1 away win at Cribbs. It was actually the hosts who took an early lead through Ryan Crawford but that was cancelled out early in the second half through Andre Wright. Soon afterwards, Josh Barlow got the first of his two strikes before Roger James rounded things off with a fourth goal in stoppage time.

A first half penalty from Ross Langworthy proved to be the difference for Bishops Cleeve as they won 1-0 at Bashley.

In the Pitching In Southern League Division One Central there was no question where the game of the evening was at as the top two went head-to-head. It was Real Bedford who made home advantage count to beat Berkhamsted 5-1 with three of the goals coming in stoppage time at the end.

It actually took an hour for the deadlock to be broken when Josh Setchell put the hosts ahead and soon afterwards, Joey Evans doubled the lead. A Thomas Newman goal for the visitors with six minutes to go looked like setting up a grandstand finish, however, the home team had other ideas to go back to the top of the table at the expense of their beleaguered opponents.

Amongst the leading pack, Barton Rovers had a good 4-2 away win at AFC Dunstable. Alfie Warman and Markel Cousins set them on their way with two early strikes and whilst Sean Duodu pulled a goal back, Matt Moloney soon restored the two-goal lead going into half-time. Cousins hit his second just past the hour-mark and although Duodu pulled another back, it proved too little, too late.

Also winning away was Stotfold as they came home from North Leigh 3-2 victors. Joseph Sellers-West gave them a 15th minute lead but by half-time, Harlee Vozza and Luke Thompson had put the hosts ahead. Remell Stirling equalised at the start of the second period before Ernest Njoroge won it.

The remaining two games finished level as Flackwell Heath were held at home by Northwood in a 1-1 draw. Sean McGuinness had given Flackwell an early lead only for Jack Smith to level in the 11th minute and that’s how it stayed. Meanwhile Leverstock Green and Hertford Town played out a goalless stalemate.

IMAGE: Marlow FC