A BIT OF ALL WHITE!
SHOCK HARTLEY wait to clinch title
TOOLSTATION Northern Counties Premier outfit Athersley Recreation have honoured captain Ryan White for making his 1,000th senior appearance.
Midfielder White, who has been with the Sheerien Park club for 25 years since making his debut for their under 13s side in the Barnsley Junior League in September 1992, has since played nearly 1,050 games at all levels for Athersley.
Before last Saturday’s 2-0 win over Parkgate, White was presented with an engraved Dartington crystal bowl and an engraved Dartington crystal cottage clock,
Director Alan Richardson said: “Money can’t buy that loyalty and dedication to one club.” to score his side’s second in a 3-0 win at Edgware Town and Josh Bronti missed for Welwyn Garden City before goals from Sean Brettel and Ash Kersey earned the Citizens a 2-0 win at home to Leverstock Green.
Elsewhere, centre half Jordan Wright showed the composure of a striker as he scored for Biggleswade United in their 1-1 draw at St Margaretsbury, Mark Ellis scored the only goal as Stotfold won at Hadley and Liam James and Chris Blunden were among the goals in Oxhey Jets’ 3-1 win at FC Broxbourne Borough.
CHRIS MITCHELL
SOUTHERN COMBINATION
SHOREHAM retain their five-point lead at the top after an impressive 5-0 win at AFC Uckfield Town, where the goals came from two-goal Joe Shelley, Rob O’Toole, Scott Packer and Tom Burton.
Trevor McCreadie bagged a brace as Haywards Heath Town stay second in the table after a comfortable 4-1 home victory against struggling Wick.
Josh Clack struck both of third-placed Chichester City’s goals as they beat sixth-placed Eastbourne United AFC 2-0 at home and Jason Taylor scored twice as Eastbourne Town climb to fifth after a 3-0 home win over Pagham.
At the bottom, Arundel are now just two points adrift of safety after Harry Russell’s goal saw them draw 1-1 at home to Hassocks.
Bottom side Hailsham Town suffered a heavy 6-1 defeat at Lancing, with Alex Fair netting a hat-trick for the hosts, and Peacehaven & Telscombe are now just two points above the drop zone after a 4-1 defeat at Crawley Down Gatwick.
Owen Callaghan and Paul Elliott were Worthing United’s scorers as they lifted their survival hopes with a 2-1 away success against Broadbridge Heath.
Elsewhere, Littlehampton Town lost 3-1 at home to Loxwood and Newhaven won 1-0 at home to Horsham YMCA.
RORY HAYWARD
HELLENIC LEAGUE
BRACKNELL TOWN kept up the pressure on non-playing leaders Thame United.
Thame’s lead was cut to two points by the Robins, who beat visitors Longlevens AFC 4-1 in front of 202 fans.
Prolific scorer Adam Cornell bagged a hat-trick and Dave Merrick weighed in with a 41st-minute goal. The consolation for the midtable team was an own goal in stoppage time.
Third-placed Flackwell Heath ended their league campaign by beating visitors Tuffley Rovers 3-2 thanks to goals from Sam Hill after 11 minutes, Sheridan Campbell on 25 minutes and Dan Rapley on 88 minutes, while Ben Tunnicliff, after 43 minutes, and Joe Blount, on 90 minutes, netted in reply
Fourth-placed hosts Thatcham Town were held 1-1 by ninth-placed Lydney Town. Alex Smith put the hosts ahead after but Jordan Joss levelled.
Non-playing Ardley United stay fifth place, while Highworth Town stay in sixth after an emphatic 5-1 success at lowly Ascot United, which came courtesy of an own goal, Ash Edenborough, Aron Ferris, Nathan Gambling and Aysa Corrick. Luke Wilson had reduced the arrears on 41 minutes.
Hosts Brimscombe & Thrupp beat Henley Town 3-0 to dump them below Burnham as the new basement boys – Burnham having beaten visitors Royal Wootton Bassett 2-1.
DAVID GROVES
SOUTHERN COUNTIES EAST
SEVENOAKS TOWN blew the title race wide open as they beat leaders Ashford United 4-0 at home.
The win leaves Oaks just three points off the top two with six games to play after they blasted the visitors with three goals in the opening eleven minutes.
Keiran McCann, Joe Bingham and Harrison Carnegie all struck early, with Bingham completing the scoring ten minutes from time.
Crowborough Athletic missed the chance to go top after they were held 1-1 at AFC Croydon Athletic.
Warren Mfula put Athletic ahead with a 14th-minute penalty before the Crows were awarded a spot kick just before the break.
Lee Casey saw his kick saved by Burnett but Eddie Smith levelled in the opening minute of the second half.
Recent signing Frankie Sawyer netted a hat-trick for Whitstable Town in a 7-0 win over Croydon, with Kane Rowland and Newman Poku scoring two apiece.
Beckenham Town fell to the foot of the table after losing 2-0 at Bearsted, where Peter Williams netted twice.
Fisher moved out of the bottom two after a surprise 3-1 win at Hollands & Blair, while Lordswood’s 0-0 draw at Deal Town leaves them second bottom.
Erith & Belvedere boss Luke Coleman enjoyed his first win, a 2-0 victory at Tunbridge Wells, and neighbours Erith Town lost 5-0 at Corinthian.
PAUL CARTER
WESTERN LEAGUE
BRISTOL MANOR FARM kept up their surge towards the title with a 4-1 home win over Buckland Athletic.
It took the hosts half an hour to break the deadlock with Jordan Metters sliding home, before Troy Simpson doubled the lead just after the break with his 26th league goal this term.
Ben Bament added some gloss to the result, scoring two in the final ten minutes, while Jared Lewington bagged a late consolation for Buckland, who have now tasted victory in just one of their previous four league games.
At the bottom, Hallen eased some relegation fears with a 4-1 thumping of bottom side Sherborne Town.
Goals from Aaron Anglin, Tom Collett and Scott Thomas fired the hosts into a three goal half-time lead which they never looked like relinquishing despite losing Santiago Escalano to a straight red. Collett’s second goal wrapped up the points twenty minutes from time.
Melksham Town moved to within a point of second-placed Street with Luke Ballinger’s brace firing them to a 3-0 win over Bridport, while an 81stminute strike from Alex Camm saw Clevedon Town defeat Bitton 1-0.
A trio of first-half goals from Matt Dawson, Mike Williams and Ryan Guppy proved to be the difference as Willand Rovers cruised to a 3-0 win at Chipping Sodbury Town, while Cribbs won 4-1 at Brislington to consolidate eighth place.
WESSEX LEAGUE
TOM HISCOTT ALRESFORD TOWN ran riot as they won 5-1 away at Verwood Town on Saturday afternoon.
Tom Sands, Chris Mason and Steve Hall bagged a goal each for the visiting Magpies which was added to by a brace from former Winchester City and AFC Portchester man Geoffrey Dunn.
A 240-strong crowd at the Recreation Ground watched on as Bashley beat local rivals Lymington Town 1-0 in the New Forest.
It was goalless in the first-half and appeared to be heading for a stalemate before defender Lewis Brailey netted the winner for Tom Prodomo’s side.
Whitchurch United are still struggling for form after being comfortably beaten 3-0 by Brockenhurst at Longmeadow.
Mitchell Speechley-Price bagged a brace for Pat McManus’ side and Ryan Long also netted.
Dave Diaper marked his 900th game in charge of Sholing with a convincing 5-0 win at home to Bournemouth.
Dan Mason put the Boatmen ahead from the spot, before goals from Lee Wort, TJ Cuthbertson and a brace from Micky Hubbard wrapped up the points.
Ian Saunders, who this week surprisingly left Winchester City and moved to AFC Portchester to team up with Graham Rix, got off to a great start, winning 2-0 at home to Andover Town.
Alex Baldacchino put the hosts ahead and the points were wrapped up before the break as Andy Todd scored.
MATT RICHBELL TIM HOPKINSON’S double helped West Bridgford cruise past Kimberley Miners Welfare 3-0 and retain a nine-point lead at the top.
Second-placed Birstall United edged past Ashby Ivanhoe 1-0 and have a game in hand but time is running out with only six to play.
South Normanton Athletic’s game at Radcliffe Olympic was abandoned on 83 minutes after one of their players suffered a serious broken leg.
At the bottom, Graham Street Prims moved to within a point of safety as they beat Stapenhill 3-0, Holbrook Sports were beaten 4-3 by Holwell Sports and Greenwood Meadows moved two points clear of the bottom three with a 2-1 win at Aylestone Park.
Gedling Miners Welfare are now ten points adrift after a 1-0 loss at Blaby & Whetstone Athletic, basement side Ellistown & Ibstock United lost 2-0 at Radford, Dunkirk won 5-2 at Barrow Town and Anstey Nomads and Belper United drew 1-1. WILF ALEXANDER
WEST MIDLANDS REGIONAL
HAUGHMOND have opened up a huge 17-point lead at the top with a 4-0 win at struggling Dudley Sports.
Matt Fletcher headed the visitors in front with a spectacular looping header before goals from Kevin Renshaw, Matt Jones and Scott Graham sealed the win.
Haughmond’s title charge was helped after second-placed Wolves Sporting Community crashed 2-1 at Wolves Casuals, who are now challenging for runners-up spot.
Liam Hughes and Kevin Nickle put Casuals in charge before Jon Letford clawed back a late consolation for Sporting.
Malvern Town maintain fourth after a 2-0 win at Willenhall Town thanks to Josh Weatherby and Dave Reynolds.
Roland Agbor rammed home a second half hat-trick as Bilston Town won 3-1 at rock bottom Gornal Athletic.
Bewdley Town had to switch their game against Shifnal Town to Ludlow Town’s ground due to a waterlogged pitch, but it proved a good omen as they bagged a 6-1 win. NICK PULLEN