Cray Valley PM’s unbeaten season is no more after the most amazing finishes in a weekend where both Isthmian divisions saw their programmes wrecked by the weather.
In the Premier Division, Chatham Town missed out on a chance to reduce leaders Hornchurch’s lead. Neil Smith’s Cray Wanderers side had been due to visit the leaders, but the weather put paid to that, but Kevin Hake’s side missed out on the chance to close to within six points of the Essex side as they were beaten for just the second time in eight games (the other six all won) 2-0 at Carshalton to leave the Chats nine points behind Hornchurch with the leaders having played three games less.
Meanwhile at the other end, Margate were beaten 3-1 at home by Horsham with Vinnie Bowman pulling a goal back for Mark Stimson’s side against one of the division’s form sides. Indeed, the Sussex side’s 3-1 home win over Kingstonian in midweek has taken them to third – nine points behind the Chats, but having played three games fewer.
In the Southeast division, the only two games played on grass pitches saw that unbeaten record go and in the other, a horrific accidental injury.
We start at Badgers where Cray Valley’s unbeaten league record went in an amazing nine goal thriller with Three Bridges. Freddie Parker put the home side ahead early on, but the visitors were 2-1 in front at the break.
Cray flew out of the blocks at the start of the second period and Denzel Gayle, Hassam Ibrahiym and Parker again with his fourteenth goal of the season appeared to have won the game for Steve McKimm’s side, but Bridges reduced the arrears to 3-4 with twelve minutes left and when the visitors were reduced to ten men three minutes into stoppage time the win seemed almost assured.
But incredibly the visitors levelled at 4-4 a minute after going down to ten and then went onto to snatch the winner and the points with a 97th minute winner.
Ramsgate eased past Ashford United to regain top spot with a 4-0 win – a goal in each half from top scorer Joe Taylor was added to after the break with two in a minute just after the break from Tijan Jadama and Nathan Green completing the rout.
Sittingbourne stay third after a 2-0 win over East Grinsted Town, but the win was overshadowed by a horrible injury to Brickies central defender Michael Turner who suffered a triple leg break and an ankle dislocation after half an hour with the score at 0-0.
Whilst the Ambulance service was treating the stricken player, the game restarted after a 15-minute break and Danny Parish netted to put the home side ahead. Mitch May then continued his recent scoring run with his fourteenth goal of the season which sealed the contest, but all thoughts were with Turner in hospital.
Elsewhere, Hythe Town won 2-1 at Herne Bay in a game that saw the home side finish with nine men. Kane Rowland put the Bay in front on two minutes but was later (along with Liam Friend) sent off as Hythe hit back for a 2-1 half time lead through Joss Wisson and Aaron Barnes and the three points and a win that knocked the Bay out of the Play Off places as they slipped to sixth after being overtaken by Cray’s conquerors Three Bridges.
Hythe’s win has lifted Steve Watt’s side to ninth – eight points off the Play Offs, but with five and six games in hand on the three sides above them.
Sevenoaks Town’s fading Play Off hopes took another dent as they went down to an injury time penalty against Broadbridge at Greatness Park whilst at the bottom of the table, an injury time equaliser for third placed Lancing denied Beckenham Town an incredibly vital three points in Sussex.
Rhys Wyborn gave the bottom side the lead with twenty minutes left but a goal three minutes into stoppage time denied the visitors three vital points in their survival fight.
With both Erith & Belvedere and Phoenix Sports having their games called off the point has taken Beckenham to within six points of Phoenix with two games in hand – Erith find themselves a point behind Sports with both teams having ten games to go.
On Tuesday night, the three games involving Cray Valley PM, Ramsgate and Ashford United were all called off due to the weather.
Picture supplied by Cray Valley PM.