STEP 5 & 6 ACTION

COMBINED COUNTIES

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WALTON & HERSHAM took back top spot in Premier South with a comfortable 5-1 home victory over

Guildford City.

Harry Mills converted a hat-trick of penalties for the second time this season with Dean Rule and Ollie Twum scoring a goal each to give the Swans their fourth league win in a row and leave them two points clear of previous leaders Beckenham Town, whose game at Redhill was postponed.

Visitors Raynes Park Vale took a rare point away to title hopefuls Jersey

Bulls. The hosts went behind through a first-half header from Jordan Gallagher, only for the Bulls to level with 12 minutes to go after Lorne Bickley was brought down and Luke Campbell converted the resulting spot kick for a 1-1 draw.

Mal Thomas, Danilo Cadete and George Hedley found the back of the net for fourth-placed visitors Badshot Lea in their 3-1 win over Sheerwater.

A goal by substitute Karl Parker with only his second touch of the game earned Horley Town a 1-0 victory at

Farnham Town.

Billy Oram scored the winner for

Fleet Town in their 2-1 victory at

Cobham, Mack Vary having netted the opener for the visitors.

Hosts Colliers Wood United had a goal from Owen Cranmer-Flynn to thank for their 1-0 win over visitors

AFC Croydon Athletic.

Camberley Town drew 1-1 at home to Banstead Athletic while Knaphill were held to a goal-less draw away to bottom club Molesey.

In Premier North, Archy Taylor scored a hat-trick on his debut for Abbey Rangers in their 3-2 win at Burnham.

Goals by Sandro Costa, Trevan Robinson and Prince Mbengui and a penalty from Brendan Matthew earned Egham Town a 4-1 win at North Greenford United.

Brandon Curtis, James Clark, Allen Bossman and Jack Mullan gave Wokingham & Emmbrook their second win in a row when they beat visitors St. Panteleimon 4-1.

Two penalties by Moe Khadum and a goal from Novell Sony-Bruce saw Edgware Town win 3-0 at Wembley while Windsor went down 1-0 at home to Southall and a Lewis Putman goal.

Elsewherem, basement side CB Hounslow United changed places with visitors Holyport who they beat 1-0 and Ascot United were held to a 1-1 draw at home to Virginia Water.

ROBIN JONES

UNITED COUNTIES

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ALEX MARSHALL and Ben Hutchinson both bagged braces and Mitchell Robinson one goal as unbeaten Premier North leaders Long Eaton United comfortably ran out 5-0 winners over visitors Boston Town.

Principal challengers Gresley Rovers slipped further behind when they could manage only a draw 0-0 at home to Quorn.

Lewis Rourke gave Heanor Town the lead at Deeping Rangers before the visitors had Reece Horne sent off for shirt pulling but two goals from Will Bird, including a penalty, and one from Robbie Bird gave the hosts a convincing interval lead. Tai Williams added a fourth in the second half for a 4-1 victory.

Newark returned from Eastwood CFC with a 2-1 victory thanks to an early Mason Rowley penalty and a goal from Nyle Blake on his debut.

Will Bestwick scored his first goal for

Melton Town to give them a first-half lead at home to basement visitors

Holbeach United, Cameron Smith and Robbie Parsons adding on each for a 3-0 final score.

A Zayn Hakeem goal for Anstey Nomads cancelled out Olusanya Fadahunsi’s opener for hosts Loughborough Students to earn a 1-1 draw.

Skegness Town were held to a 2-2 draw at home to Heather St Johns.

Harborough Town went to the top of Premier South thanks to a 3-0 victory at bottom club Northampton ON Chenecks. Nat Ansu gave them the lead before second-half headers from Ben Williams and Paul Malone made certain. Harborough are now two clear of long-time leaders Hinckley LRFC but have played one game more.

Lowly Biggleswade United did their battle against relegation much good when they won 1-0 at Easington Sports despite going down to 10 men when Josh Sturniolo saw red in the first half. Taylor Rhyney netted the winner after the break.

Callum Stewart, Matty Shipman and Louis Guest were on target for Coventry Sphinx in their 3-2 win at Potton United while GNG Oadby Town lost 2-0 at home to Eynesbury Rovers who found the back of the net through James Hatch and Romaine Walker.

Desborough Town fought out a 2-2 draw away to Long Buckby.

In Division One, Jack Tyson, Martin Smyth, Kieran O’Connell and Callum Thompson helped hosts Belper United beat Blackstones 4-0.

ROBIN JONES

WESSEX LEAGUE

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HAMWORTHY UNITED maintained their strong position at the top of the Premier Division with a 4-2 home win against Cowes Sports.

Eddie Hodge put the Hammers on the way to three points with a 16th minute opener. Hodge then turned provider for Max Wilcock on 32 minutes as the Hammers doubled their advantage.

Sports didn’t give up though and reduced the deficit several minutes afterwards. After half-time Cowes Sports levelled the scores up but the parity was shortlived as Max Wilcock restored United’s lead. The points were sealed late in the day as Devlin converted an 87th minute spot kick.

Horndean stay in the title hunt with a 3-1 win at Brockenhurst. The Deans were flying at Grigg Lane, Connor Duffin putting the visitors ahead after just nine minutes. Duffin doubled his and Horndean’s tally on 16 minutes and the points were wrapped up when Zack Willett made it three.

Shaftesbury were 4-0 winners at home to Fareham Town. Luke Burbidge opened the scoring on 20 minutes and it was doubled just four minutes later by a Louis Moore freekick. Fareham were reduced to ten men before the hosts added a third goal, Ben Satterley converting from the penalty spot. Fareham then got a second red and the nine men were punished when Ash Pope scored a fourth.

Elsewhere, Bashley and Baffins Milton Rovers drew 2-2 at Bashley Road and Alton’s George Bowerman scored a 90th minute winner as they grabbed a 3-2 win at Hythe and Dibden.

MATT RICHBELL

NORTH WEST COUNTIES

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GROUNDHOPPERS were treated to goals galore in the first three matches of the league’s groundhop weekend.

With staggered times to allow fans to attend four matches throughout the day, Bacup Borough kicked things off in style with a 6-1 beating of St Helens Town in Division One North in front of a crowd of 460. Dennis Sherriff notched early on but that was cancelled out by Dale Korie-Butler’s 15th-minute penalty. Alex Mellor restored the lead and things really turned against the visitors when midfielder Phillip Clarke was sent off for a second booking 11 minutes before half-time.

Anthony Hall’s strike and an own goal stretched the lead with Kyle Siddle and Joseph Fallon rounding off the scoring in the second half.

Next up was a trip to Padiham

but there were no home comforts as Ashton Athletic made off with a 5-1 triumph, Tom Carr bagging a hat-trick in front of 378 supporters.

Kit Lloyd’s double sandwiched Jack Fisher’s goal as Nelson beat Chadderton 3-1 in the 4.45 kick-off in Division One North, 351 fans in attendance.

The late Premier Division clash between Barnoldswick and Avro was the final game of the day with Steeton v Ashton Town and Ilkley Town v Garstang on Sunday’s agenda.

Premier Division leaders Macclesfield beat Longridge Town 3-1 thanks to goals from Tom Clare, Harry Freedman and Kielen Adams, a match watched by 4,002 supporters.

DAVE LAWRENCE SPARTAN SOUTH MIDLANDS

DEREK ASAMOAH bagged a hattrick as New Salamis ensured the Premier Division title race would continue at a relentless pace.

The second-placed side hammered second-bottom Holmer Green 8-0 to keep up the pressure at the summit, despite the leaders refusing to slip up.

Risborough Rangers maintained a one-point advantage with two games in hand by eventually shrugging off

Broadfields United 4-1 on their own patch. The scoreline did not tell the full story, though, with two of Risborough’s goal arriving in the final six minutes.

Marcus Wyllie had netted twice in the first half but the hosts were back in the game five minutes after the interval when Sam Blennerhassett notched on the rebound after his penalty had been saved by keeper Jack Brooker.

Two substitutes ensured Rangers would not be denied with Gavin James and Sean Coles on target late on.

Hadley moved up to third as an injury-time winner from Sam Edwards chalked up a 1-0 victory at Harefield United. A cleared corner was recycled but Edwards still had plenty to do, taking down a high ball and stepping inside his man before finding the top far corner via the stray glove of keeper Jacob Ballheimer.

Kyle Faulkner, Terrence Muchineripi and Remell Stirling struck as Dunstable Town made it 13 league matches unbeaten with a 3-0 victory over

London Colney, a run dating back to November 6. Elsewhere, Declan Benjamin got both goals as Ardley United won 2-0 at Arlesey Town.

DAVE LAWRENCE

NORTHERN COUNTIES EAST ■

PREMIER DIVISION leaders

Grimsby Borough put basement boys Athersley Rec to the sword, running out 8-0 winners to maintain their six-point margin at the top.

Tom Jamieson led the way with a hat-trick, Jack Bradbury adding a brace. The others came from Tom Hipwell, Jack Debnam and Adam Drury.

Nearest challengers Garforth Town were 1-0 winners at Staveley MW, Charlie Marshall with the only goal of the game, while fellow promotion hopefuls Sherwood Colliery were 2-0 winners at Thackley where Lewis Weaver and Gareth Curtis were on target.

There was a surprise 4-1 home defeat for third-placed Eccleshill United at the hands of Winterton Rangers who never looked back once Jack Walker had given them an opening minute lead - the first of two for him.

Rieves Boocock struck twice as Maltby Main won 4-2 at Hemsworth MW while Emley were convincing 5-1 victors at Knaresborough Town.

Silsden came from behind to draw 1-1 at home to Penistone Church

- Josimar Bradshaw cancelling out Reece High’s opener - and it finished goalless at AFC Mansfield where

Goole were the visitors.

With top two Hallam and North Ferriby not in action in Division One, Brigg Town failed to take advantage after slumping to a 4-2 defeat at Retford. Dayle Hutson and Martin Pemberton twice put the visitors ahead before goals from Graeme Severn, Adam Scott, George White and Liam Bennett won it.

DAVE LAWRENCE