SUPER SAUNDERS SHINES
CALLUM Saunders did the damage for Haywards
Heath as they registered a 3-1 victory at home to Whyteleafe to keep in touch in the play-off positions.
The visitors, without a win in four, took an early lead with a brilliant delivery by Ashley-Paul Robinson that was met perfectly by Junior Aikhionbare with a diving header.
As in previous weeks, it was a much-changed second-half performance from Heath, who took control of the match when the equaliser came in the 54th minute as Andy Dalhouse got on the end of a Sean Roddy cross.
Heath continued with the pressure and man-ofthe-match Saunders scored a wonderful goal to give Heath the lead on 60 minutes, brilliantly volleying the ball with the outside of his boot into the top corner.
The match was wrapped up on 74 minutes when Karl Akehurst got to the ball a split-second before a challenge came in and the referee had no choice but to point to the spot – Saunders stepped up and made no mistake, sending the ball past McCarthy.
VCD Athletic’s hopes of making up ground on the top five in Division One South East were given a real boost as they held off a Faversham Town fightback to win 4-3 on the road.
Faversham are struggling near the bottom of the division and got off to the worst possible start as Alex Gaggin put them one behind after just seven minutes.
Joe Denny doubled the advantage just two minutes later and things looked bad for Faversham until they got back into things just before halftime through Michael Freiter.
VCD were able to replicate their start to the first half at the Shepherd Neame Stadium though, scoring two quick goals after the break through Usman Adeniji and Denny again.
Once more, Faversham looked done but they produced on a late fightback as Jamie Maxted scored six minutes from time and Rolando Onu cut the defifcit just one on 90 minutes – just a little too late.
That result means VCD go level on points with sixth-placed Hythe Town, who were held to a 2-2 draw at home against midtable Ramsgate.
Hythe found themselves behind after only nine minutes as the lively Tom Chapman played the ball into Kane Rowland, who finished neatly.
The hosts were level on 18 minutes as Kieron Campbell played the ball over to the far post, where Rob Saunders put the ball into his own net under pressure from Sid Sollis.
Things got worse for Saunders three minutes later when he was adjudged to have fouled Sollis to receive a second yellow card.
Hythe were to take the lead on 73 minutes as Tom Carlton made a determined move forward and looped the ball home.
Within two minutes, Ramsgate were level as a deep free-kick from Jake Mackenzie found Charlie Dickens, who swept the ball home.
There was still time for Ramsgate to be reduced to nine men with Rowland sent off for a challenge on Chris Kinnear. Whitstable Town made up ground in midtable on Sittingbourne, who they downed 2-1 to cut the gap to three points.
The Kent side opened the scoring through Harry Stannard just after the half-hour, sending themselves into the break 1-0 up.
Jordan Wright made it 2-0 on 54 minutes and Timileyin Toluwanile pulled one back immediately after but that was as good as it got for the visitors as Whitstable move up to 14th.
The other results in the division saw Horsham keep up with the breakneck pace set towards the top of the table and stay second - albeit 13 points behind leaders Cray Wanderers - with a 2-0 win at struggling Greenwich Borough. And 16th-placed Herne
Bay and Guernsey shared the spoils as they drew 2-2 in Kent, Liam Mahon’s equaliser ensuring the spoils were shared.