Bay’s momentum builds Bostik SE round-up FAVERSHAM STRIKE FORCE: LATE GOAL SURGE SEES AXFORD’S MEN STORM TO VICTORY

Faversham Strike Force continued their excellent form with a 4-0 win at Bexley in the Kent County League Premier Division on Saturday. The hosts successfully stifled the Force in the first half before Gary Axford’s men cut loose after the interval to make it three straight victories and a run of six games unbeaten. Some impactful substitutions and a change of shape paid dividends for the Faversham side as they finally broke the deadlock with around 25 minutes left – Ali Adam smashing home a loose ball from close range. That changed the pattern of the game and spaces started to appear for the new strike partnership of Dinu Catalin and Adam who gave the home side no end of problems in the closing quarter of the match. Adam completed his brace before Joe Kay sealed the three points with a clever finish, rounding the keeper. The best goal of the day was saved for last. A corner kick was fired into the front post where Catalin, with his back to goal, scored through an audacious flick with the Herne Bay won for the third week in a row to take another step from the relegation battle brewing in Bostik South East.

Goals from Bradley Schafer and Ronald Sobowale either side of a Stuart West own goal earned Bay a 3-1 win over derby rivals Whitstable Town.

Such has been the league table’s variation so far this season that 14th-placed Bay are now just 11 points behind eighth-placed Hythe and 12 behind seventhplaced VCD Athletic.

Whitstable were made to rue a slow start as Schafer’s free-kick clipped a defender before flying over goalkeeper Dan Eason.

West then redirected a cross into his own net amid a toothless display from Scott Porter’s side in the first half.

A brighter start to the second period then saw James Trueman make it 2-1 with his first goal for Whitstable to give their supporters a glimmer of hope.

That was soon diminished, however, after Sobowale burst through on goal before slotting beyond Eason for 3-1.

Whitstable had been set to face VCD Athletic in one of their games in hand on Tuesday night, but that match was abandoned after just eight minutes.

Porter’s side were 1-0 up after seven minutes thanks to Taylor Fisher’s goal, until a back injury to VCD’S Dominic Odusanya brought the clash to a halt.

With an ambulance not expected to arrive for an hour, the decision was made to call the game off.

Whitstable are 18th just two points ahead of Greenwich.

Faversham suffered a blow in their fight for survival as they were beaten 3-1 by Sittingbourne.

Brickies led 2-0 at half-time, before Matt Bourne pulled a goal back.

Luke Griffiths then missed an opportunity before being clipped in the box, only for the referee to ignore Faversham’s penalty shouts.

Billy Lewins added a third for Bourne to leave Town 15th, level on 29 points with Herne Bay.

BOSTIK SOUTH EAST

Cray Wdrs..... 27 21 5 1 61 22 68 Horsham....... 28 17 4 7 53 31 55 Haywards H .. 28 15 7 6 55 38 52 Ashford......... 27 16 3 8 55 27 51 Hastings ....... 28 15 5 8 58 38 50 Whyteleafe.... 27 12 5 10 50 39 41 VCD .............. 26 13 2 11 51 48 41 Hythe............ 28 11 7 10 53 47 40 Ramsgate ..... 28 9 9 10 46 41 36 Phoenix Sp ... 27 9 8 10 50 54 35 Sevenoaks.... 27 9 7 11 38 41 34 E Grinstead ... 28 9 7 12 48 53 34 Sittingbrne.... 27 10 2 15 42 50 32 Herne Bay..... 27 9 2 16 51 68 29 Faversham.... 28 8 5 15 43 68 29 T Bridges ...... 28 8 4 16 42 60 28 Guernsey ...... 27 7 5 15 38 56 26 Whitstable .... 26 6 8 12 21 42 26 Greenwich .... 28 7 3 18 34 66 24 Results: Saturday: Greenwich 2 East Grinstead 0, Guernsey 3 VCD 4, Hastings 2 Haywards Heath 4, Herne Bay 3 Whitstable 1, Horsham 2 Hythe 1, Phoenix Sports 0 Cray Wanderers 1, Ramsgate 1 Three Bridges 1, Sittingbourne 3 Faversham 1, Whyteleafe 1 Ashford 3. Tuesday: Whitstable 1 VCD 0 (match abandoned after eight minutes due to player injury. Fixtures: Saturday: Ashford v Ramsgate, Cray Wanderers v Horsham, East Grinstead v Herne Bay, Faversham v Phoenix Sports, Hythe v Whyteleafe, Sevenoaks v Sittingbourne, Three Bridges v Greenwich, VCD v Hastings, Whitstable v Guernsey.

SOUTHERN COUNTIES EAST LEAGUE Premier Division

Corinthian..... 28 22 2 4 66 30 68 Cray Valley.... 28 20 4 4 80 29 64 Fisher ........... 29 20 2 7 62 28 62 Chatham....... 27 19 2 6 79 32 59 Sheppey ....... 30 17 2 11 65 46 53 Beckenham .. 28 15 6 7 54 36 51 Lordswood.... 28 12 5 11 49 49 41 AFC Croydon. 28 12 5 11 48 48 41 K Sports........ 28 12 5 11 43 58 41 Deal.............. 29 10 9 10 43 46 39 Bearsted....... 27 12 3 12 47 53 39 Canterbury.... 25 11 5 9 48 38 38 Glebe............ 28 11 4 13 44 48 37 Erith Town..... 27 10 7 10 43 50 37 Crowboro...... 29 10 4 15 39 67 34 Tun Wells ...... 28 9 4 15 51 57 31 Punjab Utd.... 29 4 9 16 42 59 21 Hollands & B. 26 4 4 18 32 61 16 Rusthall ........ 29 3 5 21 25 78 14 Croydon........ 27 2 1 24 27 74 7 Results: Wednesday: Chatham 0 Rusthall 0, Cray Valley 3 AFC Croydon 0. Saturday: AFC Croydon 0 Glebe 4, Beckenham 0 Cray Valley 2, Canterbury 1 Bearsted 1, Corinthian 3 Lordswood 1, Crowborough 1 Chatham 3, Punjab Utd 1 Croydon 1, Rusthall 2 Deal 2, Sheppey 2 Hollands & Blair 4, Tunbridge Wells 1 Erith Town 2. Tuesday: Bearsted 0 Cray Valley 1, Tunbridge Wells 3 K Sports 1. Fixtures: Saturday: Beckenham v K Sports, Chatham v Bearsted, Cray Valley v Sheppey, Crowborough v AFC Croydon, Croydon v Rusthall, Erith Town v Canterbury, Fisher v Tunbridge Wells, Glebe v Corinthian, Hollands & Blair v Deal. Tuesday: Lordswood v Rusthall.

Challenge Cup Semi-final first leg Results: Monday: SC Thamesmead 1 Chatham 4. Tuesday: Corinthian 0 Fisher 0.