TUESDAY REVIEW | A BUSY NIGHT

All of the action

There was a busy night of action across all four of our divisions.

In the Pitching In Southern League Premier South, leaders, Gloucester City, hit the 30-point mark following a 4-2 win at Winchester City. Brandon Smalley set them on their way with an early goal but it was soon cancelled out by Luke Chalwell for the hosts before Ik Hill turned the scoreline on its head before quarter-of-an-hour had even been played.

Joe Hanks got his name on the scoresheet to level things up on the half-hour mark and then in the final 20 minutes, he and King Baidoo got the goals to seal the points.

Sat just behind them are AFC Totton who were back to firing on all cylinders with a good 5-1 triumph over Taunton Town. Tony Lee notched the only goal of the first half to put the hosts ahead and then a quickfire double from Ethan Taylor at the start of the second period put them firmly in command.

Sam Magri made it three goals in less than ten minutes and although the visitors pulled one back through Oliver Woodhouse, the last word when to the home side as Ashley Clarke round the scoring off with eight minutes to go.

There was a good 4-0 victory for Chertsey Town over Sholing. Two goals in quick succession in the first half from Louis Degand and Oliver McCoy set them on their way before Jack Mazzone added another early in the second period and Will Montague completed the scoring as the clock ticked down.

Also hitting four were Bracknell Town in their home encounter with Swindon Supermarine. Sam Ashton and Liam Tack put them two goals to the good within the opening 20 minutes, but it wasn’t long before Harry Williams reduced the arrears. A brace from Joel Rollinson saw the home team forge ahead as Gabriel Reivers’ goal on 75 minutes proved mere consolation for the away side.

A Shaquille Gwengwe strike proved to be the difference between his side, Dorchester Town, and opponents, Plymouth Parkway as the other two games ended level with Frome Town and Walton & Hersham sharing four goals. James Ollis wasted little time in giving Frome the lead, only for Nana Owusu to cancel it out in the 12th minute. The pendulum swung in the favour of the visitors when Dawid Rogalski put them ahead but Curtis Jemmett-Hutson restored parity on 82 minutes.

Finally, Basingstoke Town and Hungerford Town finished 1-1 after Dawid Regula broke the deadlock for the visitors but the lead lasted three minutes before Will Upton equalised and that’s how it remained.

Over in the Pitching In Southern League Premier Central, Stamford battled out a 2-1 success against St. Ives Town. Recent arrival, Richard Gregory, put them ahead with just two minutes on the clock and then Bill Bennett doubled the advantage just before the hour. Johnson Gyamfi grabbed a late goal for the visitors but it proved to be too little, too late.

Battling it out with them are Kettering Town who had two goals in the final 15 minutes from Isiah Noel-Williams and new signing, Gary Hooper, to thank for a 2-0 triumph over Stourbridge.

Hitting five goals on their travels were Lowestoft Town as they won 5-2 at Hitchin Town. Harvey Sayer was the hero with a hat-trick, whilst Harry Barbrook and Benjamin Haddoch also found the net for the visitors. The hosts had actually taken an early lead through Enock Ekongo but were 3-1 down when Rio Deall got their second just before the interval.

Also winning away were Banbury United who had goals from Tai Fleming and Jaanai Gordon in each half to thank for their 2-0 triumph at Biggleswade Town. Meanwhile Royston Town had a 2-1 success at Bishop’s Stortford where Charlie Johnson and Luke Johnson put them two goals up at the break before Brad Russell pulled on back. Leiston recorded their second successive 2-1 away triumph in the space of a few days with victory at Spalding United. Ben Fowkes and Jamar Loza put them in the driving seat in the opening exchanges of the second period and they held on despite Bartosz Cybulski pulling a goal back.

Harborough Town enjoyed a 2-0 victory over Bromsgrove Sporting. An own goal from Ethan Patterson set them on their way before Ben Stephens sealed the success late on.

The other game saw Stratford Town and Barwell share the spoils in a 1-1 draw. Lewis Ludford-Ison set the home side on their way midway through the first half only for the evergreen Leroy Lita to cancel it out.

On Monday evening, Redditch United got back into winning ways with a 3-1 triumph over AFC Telford United.

In the Pitching In Southern League Division One South, leaders, Yate Town, left it late to salvage a point from an upwardly-mobile Malvern Town. Alex Bell, who scored twice at the weekend, got his name on the scoresheet again on the half-hour to put the hosts ahead and it was a lead they held until deep into stoppage time when Daniel Dempsey levelled with the last kick.

Also benefitting from a late goal was second-place Helston Athletic, the only Southern League side to remain unbeaten as they won 2-1 at Cribbs. Reece Thomson put them ahead on the stroke of half-time only for Leighton Tuodolo to level with just over 20 minutes to go. Callum Martindale was able to take advantage of a mistake to get a last-gasp winner.

There were five goals for Bemerton Heath Harlequins in a 5-2 success over Larkhall Athletic. Leighton Thomas grabbed the headlines, and the matchball, with a hat-trick. Meanwhile Didcot Town secured a 3-1 away win at Cinderford Town with Adam Learoyd putting them ahead on ten minutes and Pat Osbourne doubling the lead on the half-hour mark. Joe Keeping pulled one back for the hosts but four minutes later Jenson Wright restored the two-goal advantage for his side.

Thatcham Town had a good 1-0 victory over in-form Evesham United as a goal eight minutes from time by Josiah Dunstan proved to be the difference.

The other games both ended in 2-2 draws as Bashley came from two goals down at Westbury United to earn a share of the spoils. Daniel Restorick and Joe Beardwell had the home side sat in the driving seat before the break but once Luke Delaney pulled one back, it gave the visitors the momentum to go on and level through Conor Whitely late on.

Late goals were also the name of the game at Falmouth Town. It was visitors Bideford who went ahead on six minutes through Archie Reay, but that was cancelled out at the end of the first half through Luke Barner. With just ten minutes to go, Oscar Massey put the home side ahead for the first time, but Aaron Taylor was on hand to level matters in the 87th minute.

Monday’s action saw Henry Sady’s strike prove to be the difference as Melksham Town returned to winning ways at the expense of Bishops Cleeve.

The Pitching In Southern League Division One Central saw leaders, Hadley, recover from going a goal down at home to Beaconsfield Town to win 3-1. Josh Marcon had put the visitors ahead midway through the first half and it was a lead that they held until the final 20 minutes or so when Isaac Stones and a brace from Jordan Edwards gave them the victory.

A stoppage time leveller gave Kings Langley a share of the spoils against Flackwell Heath in an entertaining 3-3 draw. Michael Harding had put the visitors ahead only for James Towell and Brad Smith to turn things around either side of the interval. Wiktor Makowski equalised and then put his side ahead seven minutes later before Qasim Khan popped up at the death to level.

Barton Rovers raced into a four-goal first half lead against Stotfold as Lucas Kirkpatrick, John Shamalo and a brace from Taylor Rhiney put them in control, however, Joseph Sellers-West netted twice in the second period to make a game of it but it finished 4-2.

It was the same scoreline at Hertford Town as they beat Northwood, fresh from their first win at the weekend. Ben Herd put the hosts ahead only for Adeniyi Gbolahan to cancel it out, a feat that he repeated after Tariq Bakkali had regained the lead for the hosts. A second from Herd restored the home team’s lead on 79 minutes and Riley Carr rounded things off in stoppage time.

There were away wins for Aylesbury United, who triumphed 1-0 at AFC Dunstable and Berkhamsted who had a good 2-1 success at in-form Leighton Town. Matt Bateman put them ahead early on and then JJ Lacey converted from the spot on 22 minutes. The home side netted a penalty of their own in the second half through Lynton Goss, but it was not enough.

The wily Jefferson Louis netted against one of his many former clubs to give Thame United a 1-0 win at North Leigh with the all-important goal coming in the final minute.

The evening’s other game saw Ware beat Enfield 2-1. Samuel Kifwasima Mayuma broke the deadlock for the hosts and then Johnny Allotey made it two late on. There was still time for Sami Bessadi to pull one back in stoppage time at the end.

Monday evening’s game saw an entertaining 3-3 draw between Biggleswade FC and Leverstock Green.

IMAGE: Harborough Town FC