Whitstable Town FC

Chelmsford City and Dartford remain top of the Premier Division and Division One North, whilst Dover Athletic returned to lead Division One South

 Plenty of movement in the play-off positions, where most of the top teams had successful weekends.  Not much change in he relegation zones, with just a little movement at the foot of the Premier Division.

In the FA Trophy, the League’s last representative – AFC Wimbledon – went down at home to a solid Torquay United.

Thirty two League matches saw a total of 96 goals – 38 in the Premier Division – and for the third week running, not a single hat-trick.  Top scorers were Horsham, hitting five at home to Leyton, whilst Dartford scored four at home to Northwood.  Five matches each shared five goals.

Good solid attendances in the Premier Division, whilst Dartford were watched by a crowd of 1,118 in Division One North.

Premier Division

Premier Division leaders Chelmsford City, undefeated sine losing at Boreham Wood on 8^th December, made it twenty-two points from the last eight games, with Bertie Brayley scoring two of the goals.  They now have a lead of fifteen points at the top of the League, as second placed Hendon lost to the only goal of the game at AFC Hornchurch, and now have gone six games without a win since their last victory at Boreham Wood on 26^th December.

AFC Wimbledon, playing in the FA Trophy, keep third spot, but sit only a point ahead of Staines Town (4^th) and Ramsgate (5^th), both away winners on Saturday, with Staines Town tow games in hand of the Dons.

Outside the play-off places sit AFC Hornchurch, Horsham and Margate.  Horsham beat bottom club Leyton 5-1 and are three points behind the third placed Dons with five game sin hand, whilst Margate lost at home 2-3 to Hastings United.

The win for Hastings United, now eight points from their last four games, took the Sussex club out of the relegation zone, Tonbridge Angels taking their place after losing 3-2 at Folkestone Invicta.

Well and truly marooned at the foot of the table are Leyton – now into a run of twelve consecutive defeats and not a League point since their draw with Heybridge Swifts on 13^th November.  Leyton are thirteen points adrift of 21^st placed East Thurrock United, and save just thirteen games to save themselves form relegation.

Division One North

Dartford retained top spot four points ahead of AFC Sudbury with both clubs winning on Saturday.  Dartford beat Northwood 4-2 at home, whilst AFC Sudbury’s James Rowe scored the only goal of the game for his club to return form their visit to Ilford with three points.  The top two now meet next weekend at Sudbury in an eagerly awaited contest.

Edgware Town and Ware retained third and fourth places with home wins against Wivenhoe Town (3-1) and Brentwood Town (2-0) respectively.  Up into fifth place are Maldon Town, 2-0 winners at home to Tilbury, replacing Redbridge who slipped to an unusual heavy defeat 0-3 at Aveley.

Enfield Town (7^th) and Canvey Island (8^th) continue to keep the pressure on the leading pack, although Enfield lost 3-0 at Bury, whilst Canvey Island, five wins in their last six matches, beat visitors Waltham Forest 2-1.

Tough at the bottom of the Division, as only Potters Bar Town from the bottom seven clubs could gain points on Saturday, the Bar winning 3-2 at Witham Town.

Division One South

Dover Athletic returned to the top of Division One South with a 1-1 draw at Dulwich Hamlet, whilst second placed Tooting & Mitcham United won with the only goal of the match at Chipstead through leading scorer Jon Henry-Hayden to sit just one point behind the leaders from Kent.

No change in the remaining three play-off places as Cray Wanderers drew 2-2 at Walton Casuals, Metropolitan Police came back to beat visitors Sittingbourne 2-1 and Dulwich Hamlet retained a point from the visit of leaders Dover Athletic.

Chasing these clubs for a play-off place at the end of the season are Kingstonian, Sittingbourne and Walton & Hersham, all without a win on Saturday.

Chatham Town could not repeat their last home victory, when they had beaten Dover Athletic, losing 1-2 to Eastbourne Town.

At the foot of the table, Molesey collected a home point with a good 2-2 draw against Kingstonian, but are still six points adrift of Horsham YMCA in 21^st place.

On Saturday, Whitstable Town earned the valuable three points with a 2-0 win when they entertained Horsham YMCA, and are six points clear of their Sussex rivals.  Between these two are Corinthian-Casuals, 2-0 losers at home to Ashford Town, and now without a win since the end of November.

On Monday night Horsham YMCA were unlucky not to earn a share of the points, losing to table toppers Dover FC by a single goal scored in the dying moments of the game.