ABBOTTS RUSSELL UP A CRUCIAL VICTORY

DARRELLE Russell scored twice as Waltham Abbey climbed into the Isthmian South Central League play-off places with a resounding 5-2 victory over

Northwood.

Shiloh Remy got the ball rolling with ten minutes on the clock and Russell added the second before the break to give his side a 2-0 half-time lead.

Aron Gordon looked to have all but made the points safe as he got in on the act just after the hour, only for Eric Lopes to give Northwood hope moments later.

Russell then doubled up with 20 minutes to play and Charlie Malin made it 4-2 as the game approached its final throes.

Abbey continued to push and were rewarded for their efforts at the game’s close as Gordon scored his second.

Elsewhere, Scott Day helped himself to a trio of strikes as he led the way in

Chertsey Town’s

resounding 6-1 defeat of

Hertford Town.

Two goals in the space of a minute saw Jonathan Hippolyte and Day both register to make it 2-0 early on.

Kit Brown then dragged Hertford back into the game, but Day made sure the home side had a twogoal lead with his second just before half-time.

Jake Baxter then struck either side of Day’s third in the second period as Chertsey eased to the most comfortable of victories.

Barking gave their play-off hopes a timely shot in the arm as they battled to a 1-0 away victory over a Westfield side sitting third in the table.

Junior Dadson got the all-important winning goal with 43 minutes on the clock and Barking stood firm in the second half to hold onto their lead.

Barking are now four points adrift of fifth spot and a highly coveted play-off space thanks to the win. Relegation-threatened

FC Romania slipped to within two-points of the

drop zone as they were beaten 2-0 by Bracknell

Town.

Having held out for much of the match, Town finally made the breakthrough after 71 minutes when Sebastian Bowerman held his nerve to convert a penalty.

The points were made safe six minutes from time when Bowerman completed his brace of strikes.

That result saw bottom side Ashford Town close the gap to FC Romania as Sam Humphrey’s effort cancelled out Tayo Oyebola’s goal in a 1-1 stalemate against Harlow Town.

Play-off chasing Uxbridge twice surrendered their lead as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Chipstead – a result which leaves them fourth.

Callum Duffy opened the scoring in the 35th minute only for Tom Collins to level three minutes later.

Jack Beadle restored the lead ahead of half-time, but Uxbridge were pegged back once more when Kyen Nicholas scored 15 minutes from time.

Finally, a mid-table clash between Bedfont

Sports and Marlow ended with the latter getting the better of their rivals with a 2-1 victory.

Both Marlow goals came in the first period as Jordan Brown broke the deadlock with a well-taken effort before doubling his and his side’s money with a second goal from the penalty spot.

Bedfont battled back after the break and gave themselves hope of a comeback which never materialised when Darryl Sanders found the net in the 67th minute.

The result sees Marlow move ahead of Bedfont to 12th in the table by virtue of their superior goal difference.