URCHINS DELIVER IN STYLE
AFC HORNCHURCH
maintained their 13-point lead atop the Bostik North division after emphatically dispatching of Hertford Town.
A trip to the mid-table side presented itself with a banana skin for the leaders, one they duly avoided slipping on as Theo Fairweather Johnson fired home from a tight angle in just the seventh minute.
It was 2-0 by the time the first half was up, that man Fairweather-Johnson doing the damage by flicking home a free-kick.
The win was sealed 20 minutes from time from the penalty spot, George Purcell lashing home from 12 yards after substitute Alex Bentley was fouled.
Bowers & Pitsea were made to work hard for their 4-2 victory against
Bury with manager Rob Small labelling the win as “psychologically important” as they kept a hold of second place.
John Easterford opened the scoring for Bowers, before two second half goals from Lewis Manor put the hosts into a commanding 3-0 lead.
That should have been game over, but Bury forced their way back into the game with two goals in three minutes.
First, Cemel Ramadan curled in an effort from the edge of the area before Darren Mills scored a sensational goal from 30 yards out to really apply the pressure.
But David Knight was on hand to score Bowers fourth, rolling the ball home after Fahad Nyanja had been clattered by Luis Tibbles.
Potters Bar Town are on their tails, four points behind having won 1-0 at Norwich United.
In a match that will be remembered more for itds fractious nature sadly stemming from some poor officiating it was Potters Bar who secured the points when Eoin Casey swept home.
The Planters thought they had grabbed an
injury time equaliser when Shaun Wones netted from close range, only for an offside flag to halt celebrations.
A goal in each half was enough for Dereham as Rhys Logan slotted from close range Matt Castellan headed home, all before Joe Gardner’s consolation for Heybridge Swifts in the 2-1 contest.
Meanwhile a big three points came Maldon &
Tiptree’s way, overcoming a defiant
Soham Town Rangers 31 thanks to a goal from the returning Rhys Henry.
AFC Sudbury moved up to ninth with their fourth straight win, with Phil Kelly and Billy Holland both scoring in the 2-0 win against
Waltham Abbey, while Canvey Island and Barking were the only top-nine teams not to win as they drew 1-1.
Billy Jones’ penalty opened the scoring for the visitors, only for Island to level up when Frankie Merrifield found the top corner from 18 yards.
The biggest win of the day went to Aveley, the only side in the bottom eight to win as Romford were put to the sword in the 5-1 scoreline.
Alex Teniola’s hat-trick did the damage, sandwiching goals from Connor Witherspoon and Anthony Martin while Bryan Kyungu netted a consolation. That, coupled with
Cheshunt’s vital 1-1 draw with mid-table Witham
Town, means the gap at the bottom is now down to just one point.
Michael Ademiluyi’s first-half strike ensured
Haringey Borough kept the pressure on the playoff occupiers with a hard-fought 1-0 win over gutsy Brentwood Town, while Mildenhall Town and impressive Tilbury both won 2-1 against
Grays Athletic and Ware respectively.