WEEKEND REVIEW | SATURDAY ACTION

Plenty of excitement

There was plenty of excitement and goals across our four divisions on Saturday afternoon.

In the Premier South, leaders, Walton & Hersham, ran out commanding 3-0 winners at Basingstoke Town and in doing so opened up a seven-point lead over Gloucester City who came from two goals down to draw 2-2 at Wimborne Town, with the equaliser coming from the penalty spot by Harry Pinchard in the final minute.

Returning to winning ways were Poole Town, who won 2-1 at Berkhamsted to sit third, level on points with Gosport Borough who equalised late on through Ethan Taylor to draw 2-2 at Dorchester Town. Completing the current top five is Farnham Town who saw their home game against Yate Town fall victim of the wet weather.

Over in the Premier Central, Harborough Town were pegged back late on at Barwell and had to settle for a 1-1 draw, which meant that Spalding United went top, and what a way to do it as they romped to a 7-0 success at Redditch United. We’ll have reaction from the Spalding camp during the week ahead.

A hard-earned 1-0 triumph for Needham Market over Alvechurch sees them sit one point above Quorn, who were 3-1 victors over St. Ives Town and Real Bedford who went down to a single-goal set-back at Leiston.

On an emotional day for Halesowen Town, they came back from 4-1 down with eight minutes to go to draw 4-4 with Bishop’s Stortford.

There was defeat for leaders, Portishead Town, in Division One South as they went down to a 4-2 set-back at high-flying Shaftesbury, who sit fourth having reached the 40-point mark. Frome Town are only one point off top spot after they ran out 2-0 winners at Didcot Town thanks to two second half strikes.

Winchester City saw their game at Tavistock AFC postponed, whilst also in the top five, Malvern Town, came back from a goal down to win 4-2 at Exmouth Town, with goals from Ryan Brunt, Harry Clark, Levi Francis and Joe Tumelty.

It was a bad day for Division One Central leaders, Leighton Town, who tasted defeat for the first time this season as they fell to a comprehensive 5-0 loss at Hitchin Town, for whome Lewis Franklin, Callum Nicolson, Taylor Rhiney, Ciaren Jones and Adeniyi Gbolahan all found the net.

Sitting second are Hertford Town who played out a 1-1 Friday night draw at Biggleswade FC, who remain just inside the top five. Meanwhile third place Barton Rovers had an afternoon to forget as they fell to a 3-0 defeat at London Lions.

We’ll have plenty of reaction to all of the action throughout the course of the week ahead.

IMAGE: Walton & Hersham