Whitstable Town FC

Division One South :Dover Athletic returned to the top of Division One South as they beat Corinthian-Casuals at home 3-0, replacing previous leaders Tooting & Mitcham, who dropped points with a 2-2 draw at Sittingbourne. The top two meet tonight (Monday) in Dover.

Worthing, with five consecutive wins now, moved up to third place with a 3-1 win at home to Whitstable Town, moving ahead of Kingstonian and Cray Wanderers. Kingstonian finished 2-2 with promotion candidates Walton & Hersham, whilst Cray had the same scoreline on Sunday afternoon at home to Eastbourne Town.

Dulwich Hamlet were the Division’s top scorers, winning 5-2 at home to Croydon Athletic, whilst Metropolitan Police won 3-1 at basement club Horsham YMCA. Chipstead took home the points from their 1-0 victory at Leatherhead, one of only two away wins in the Division on Saturday.

No change at the top of the Premier Division, as Chelmsford City hold on to their three point lead over Hendon, but new leaders in Division One North – AFC Sudbury return to the top spot, whilst Dover Athletic go top in Division One South. And no change at the foot of the table, as Heybridge Swifts, Wivenhoe Town and Horsham YMCA, all playing at home, can only collect one point between them.

Harlow Town and Arlesey Town are the top scorers of the weekend with six each, followed by Dulwich Hamlet with five. Margate and Maidstone United score seven between them in the Kent derby, as the visitors Maidstone leave with the points.

The 32 matches over the weekend see 114 goals recorded, with three hat-tricks – Paul Barnes of Arlesey Town, Cody McDonald for Witham Town and Simon Gregory for Metropolitan Police.

Hastings United has a season’s best crown of 1,536 for the visit of AFC Wimbledon, whilst 1,067 were at Chelmsford and 789 at Margate. Dover Athletic were watched by 906 in Division One South.

Premier Division

Chelmsford City’s Glenn Pennyfather hailed young striker James Lawson after he added to Andy Duncan’s first half opener with an exquisite second to keep the Clarets clear at the top of the Ryman Premier Division by three points.

Lawson’s fantastic 56^th minute strike came at just the right time to beat historically difficult opponents in Folkestone Invicta. With AFC Wimbledon winning and Horsham and Billericay Town slipping-up, the timely trio of points were welcomed with open arms by City, who maintained their 100% home record in the process.

Second placed Hendon won 2-0 at home to FA Cup stars Horsham, whilst AFC Wimbledon, now on a fine run of form without defeat since 4^th September, stepped up to third place in the table with a 3-1 win at Hastings United – David Webb scoring two second half goals to clinch the points for the Dons. All eyes are beginning to turn to the League match on Saturday, 1^st December, when AFC Wimbledon entertain Chelmsford City at their Kingsmeadow Stadium.

Ramsgate lost ground and dropped to fifth place as they lost 1-2 at Carshalton Athletic, but up to sixth place with a fine 4-3 local derby win at Margate are Maidstone United, now five games without defeat in the League. This was the first meeting between the two Kent clubs for 28 years, and saw the visitors come back from 3-1 down early in the second half to take the points home.

Harlow Town were the afternoon’s top scorers, winning 6-2 at Harrow Borough, the Middlesex club dropping into the bottom six for the first time this season. Tonbridge Angels, without Jon Main for the first time, won 2-1 at home to Wealdstone for their new manager Tommy Warrilow, the winner from Hamid Barr coming with the last kick of the match.

Ashford Town (Middx) earned invaluable points with a 4-1 win at home to injury ravaged Billericay Town, but bottom club Heybridge Swifts could only share the points with fellow strugglers Leyton.

Division One North

With Edgware Town being held to a 1-1 draw at Waltham Forest, AFC Sudbury were able to move back to top place in Division One North with a 2-0 win down the road at Waltham Abbey. Dartford retained third place despite losing at the home of the Division’s current form team, Redbridge, whilst Enfield Town and Bury Town swapped positions to remain in the play-off places – Enfield Town winning 3-2 at Tilbury, whilst Bury Town dropped points with a 2-2 home draw with Ilford.

Arlesey Town hit six at home to the recently improved Potters Bar Town, Paul Barnes hitting his second hat-trick of the week. Witham Town had the win of the afternoon, beating promotion contenders Brentwood Town 4-0 away from home – Cody McDonald scoring a hat-trick in their stunning victory.