BOXING DAY | REVIEW

Plenty of great action

There was a very special Boxing Day atmosphere throughout our four divisions with some impressive attendances witnessing some great action.

In the Pitching In Southern League Premier South, leaders, Merthyr Town, recovered from going behind right on the stroke of half-time at Hungerford Town as Joseph Marquez Espada put the hosts ahead. The leveller came from Cole Jarvis with 20 minutes to go before Tom Handley put the Welsh outfit ahead on 85 minutes and Lewys Twamley made the points safe deep into stoppage time.

Remaining hot on their heels are AFC Totton who had a good 4-1 away win at Winchester City. Tony Lee put them ahead early on and the lead was soon doubled through Adam Tomasso. The home side pulled one back early in the second half through Jamie Barron but Tom Blair and Oghenetega Agberhiere made the game safe.

Gloucester City recovered from a heavy defeat in their last outing to beat Swindon Supermarine 3-1. Ryan Campbell put the visitors ahead within the opening quarter-of-an-hour before Harry Pinchard restored parity on the half-hour. A brace either side of half-time from Kieran Phillips gave the hosts the win.

The Hampshire derby saw Havant & Waterlooville make home advantage count to continue their impressive recent form with a 3-1 triumph over Gosport Borough. Again it was the away team that took the lead as Dan Wooden found the net midway through the first half only for Keane Anderson to level matters. That’s how it stayed until the opening exchanges of the second period as Joseph McNerney put the hosts ahead and then Leon Maloney sealed the win within the final ten minutes.

Just inside the top five, Dorchester Town had to settle for a share of the spoils at Poole Town where Harry Hutchinson’s opener in first half stoppage time was cancelled out by Ezio Touray just before the hour-mark.

Two teams just outside the play-off places went head-to-head as Walton & Hersham played host to Bracknell Town and emerged as 2-0 winners with Dawid Rogalski opening the scoring on the hour and Nana Owusu doubling the lead with ten minutes to go. In between them in the table are Basingstoke Town who thought they had beaten Marlow when they went 2-1 up late on, only for the visitors to grab a late equaliser. Brody Peart put Basingstoke ahead early on only for Rhys Harper to level early in the second period. James Clark restored the home team’s advantage with around five minutes to go, only for Josh Smith to make it honours even.

It was chalk-and-cheese for Plymouth Parkway as they followed up their big weekend win with a heavy 5-0 reverse at Frome Town, for whom Pierce Mitchell, James Ollis, Ethan Vaughan and a brace from Albert Hopkins found the net. There was also a commanding victory for Taunton Town who came home from Tiverton Town 3-0 victors with Harris Feltham, Charlie Cummins and Nick Grimes on the scoresheet.

There were good away wins for Chertsey Town, who had a Jack Mazzone brace to thank for their 2-1 success at Hanwell Town, for whom Jordan Edwards gave them a first half lead. A Billy Walker strike was enough to see Wimborne Town come home from Sholing with a 1-0 victory.

Over in the Pitching In Southern League Premier Central, leaders Kettering Town were given a brief scare by visiting Biggleswade Town as they took the lead through Josh Steele early in the second half, however within minutes Connor Johnson had levelled matters. Jonny Edwards and Nile Ranger then gave the hosts the win.

Just behind them, AFC Telford United won our Game of the Day as they beat second-place Halesowen Town 2-0 with Matty Stenson and Ricardo Dinanga on target in front of a crowd of over 2,000. Stratford Town are fourth after they won 2-1 at Alvechurch. A Josh Hawker penalty was followed by a Owen James goal for the Bards as Shay Wilcock pulled one back for the home team but it wasn’t enough.

Completing the top five, are Bedford Town who came from a goal down to beat Hitchin Town 2-1. An own goal from Carl Mensah saw the away team go into the second half ahead but Lewis Green equalised and then Leon Lobjoit hit what proved to be the winner with around 20 minutes left on the clock.

Just outside the play-off places, Stamford were held at home by Spalding United. Skipper Rob Morgan put the hosts ahead early on only for Bartosz Cybulski to hit another late leveller for the visitors. There was a defeat for Stourbridge at local rivals, Bromsgrove Sporting, where James Meddows and Fin Holmes got the goals in a 2-0 win.

It was a good day for Leiston who it seven against Lowestoft Town in a 7-2 triumph. Jamar Loza bagged a hat-trick, George Quantrell helped himself to two of the goals, whilst Ben Fowkes and Kyran Clements notched the others. Joe Duffy and Sam Aldous were on target for the visitors.

There were good away wins for Bishop’s Stortford who were 2-1 victors at AFC Sudbury thanks to first half goals from Jake Thompson and Ryan Charles. A goal from Myles Cowling was too little, too late for the hosts. Meanwhile Tyrone Baker served up the winning goal for Royston Town at St. Ives Town.

Barwell and Harborough Town shared the spoils from a 2-2 draw. Scott McManus and an own goal from Alex Morris set the home side on their way in the opening period only for Ben Starkie and a late own goal from Isaias Osbourne to restore parity. It was goalless between Redditch United and Banbury United.

In the Pitching In Southern League Division One South, a crowd of almost 800 saw leaders, Yate Town, held at home by Bristol Manor Farm. It was the visitors who took the lead through Aron Robbins with 18 minutes on the clock and they held on to the advantage until 18 minutes from time when Joe Guest levelled matters.

Second-place Exmouth Town left it late to get their winner at Helston Athletic. Ben Steer put the Devon outfit ahead midway through the first half as Jordan Copp levelled right on the stroke of half-time. The winner came ten minutes from time through Joe Belsten.

There were over 1,000 at Melksham Town as they maintained their challenge amongst the leading pack with a 2-0 victory over Westbury United with both goals coming within the final ten minutes. Gabriel Summerfield opened the scoring before Jake Andrews sealed the points.

Bemerton Heath Harlequins continued their impressive form as they edged past Bashley by two goals to one. Steven Walker headed the visitors in front only for the equaliser to come from an own goal. Charlie Rayfield headed home the winner early in the second period.

It was a day to forget for Evesham United as they slipped to a 4-0 home reverse at the hands of a Bishops Cleeve side who moved to within a point of their opponents. Matthew Bower and Aaron Evans-Harriott found the net in the first half before Ben McLean and Ethan Dunbar added two more goals after the break.

The Cornish derby between Falmouth Town and Mousehole ended with a much-needed win for the home team who were able to move out of the bottom four thanks to a Rubin Wilson brace in a 2-0 victory.

Elsewhere, Bideford had a Scott Robinson strike to thank for their 1-0 triumph over Willand Rovers, whilst Cameron Beard’s 78th minute goal gave Shaftesbury a 1-0 away success at Larkhall Athletic.

The remaining games finished all square. Joel Jackson scored a stoppage time equaliser for Tavistock AFC in their 1-1 draw at Cribbs, for whom Ryan Cainey opened the scoring on 25 minutes. Cinderford Town recovered from two goals down to share the spoils at Malvern Town. A first half double from Sam Clark put the home side in the driving seat only for Isaac Richards to pull a goal back early in the second half and then Alex Bonthron added to his tally from the penalty spot just past the hour to make it 2-2.

Finally, it was a goalless stalemate at Thatcham Town as neither they nor Didcot Town were able to find the net here.

In the Pitching In Southern League Division One Central, leaders Berkhamsted won 4-1 at Aylesbury United as Adam Watkins set them on their way before JJ Lacey doubled the lead on the 20-minute mark. Morrison Hashii got the home side back in it just before the interval, only for Thomas Newman to restore the two-goal advantage within five minutes of the restart. Matt Bateman sealed the win with a fourth goal.

A late strike from Joey Evans gave Real Bedford a hard-earned 1-0 triumph at AFC Dunstable as they remain second. Just a point behind them are Flackwell Heath who won 2-1 at Beaconsfield Town as Callum Mapley set them on their way with an early goal. Jack Shakespeare doubled the lead before Usman Lalustani pulled a goal back five minutes later.
Barton Rovers enjoyed a 3-0 triumph over Biggleswade FC as Taylor Rhiney added to his tally in the first half and then John Shamalo and Alfie Warman made the game safe after the break. Also in the top five are Thame United who were not in action.

There was away joy for Kidlington at North Leigh as they ran out 3-1 winners. Conor Taylor opened the scoring as Nathaniel Opoku added a second. There was hope for the hosts when Kyle Chester pulled a goal back only for Fraser Allen to complete the scoring with a third goal in stoppage time at the end.

It was a good three points for Welwyn Garden City as they beat Hadley 2-1. Aiden Read set them on their way with an early strike but that was cancelled out by Luke Massingham on the hour. Jack Vasey popped up with the all-important goal on 72 minutes. A late Alex Coppin goal was enough to see Stotfold beat Leverstock Green, whilst Hertford Town and Enfield played out a 1-1 draw as Zen Cunningham’s early opener for the hosts was cancelled out by Dimitri Christou’s equaliser in the 57th minute.

IMAGE: Bristol Manor Farm FC