This will allow us to ensure they recover properly and at the same time keep the strength going within the first team. What I am also hoping is that the young lads that we have at the club can train with these two lads to see the professionalism and what they need to do to get to the next level as well.

In my opinion, this is a win win situation, so please join me in welcoming both Jake and Josh to the club. As you might have realised from their names, Jake is the son of the Manager Andy, and Josh is the son of Darren Hare who heads up the academy at Gillingham. Both are personal friends of mine and we have always had a decent working relationship in all the clubs I have been at. So thank you to Andy and Darren.

ALL THE ACTION

Billericay remain two points clear after beating Met Police 2-1. Richard Halle gave the hosts a 17th-minute lead with a penalty after a foul on Courtney White, just back from a loan spell at Waltham Forest.

The Police drew level with a header by Jack MacLeod soon after half-time but the Essex side collected three important points with a header by Dave Collis 13 minutes from time.

Hornchurch stay second, with a game in hand, but left it late to see off East Thurrock. Lewis Smith drilled home the only goal of the game in the second minute of added time.

Lowestoft, who beat Wealdstone 2-1, trail Urchins on goal difference, but have played two games fewer. Stones, who left out top scorer Richard Jolly, took the lead after 21 minutes through Britt Assombalonga.

Chris Henderson levelled matters five minutes after the interval and Joe Francis won it with a penalty on the hour after a foul on Lubo Guentchev.

Hendon moved up to fourth place with a 2-1 home win over Hastings but are seven points behind the teams above them. They did the damage early: Elliott Charles put them ahead after 14 minutes and Michael Lewis made it 2-0 three minutes later. Hastings, in danger of slipping into the bottom four, fought back strongly but could not add to Lee Carey’s fierce free-kick on 31 minutes.

Bury are back in fifth spot after a crushing 5-0 win at Leatherhead, who are once again in deep trouble at the wrong end of the table after a brief revival. Goals from John Sands and Lee Smith in the last four minutes of the first half broke open what had been an even game.

Sands missed a penalty soon after the interval but Sam Nunn’s weak header found its way into the net to make it 3-0 on 54 minutes and Smith completed the rout, and his hat-trick, in the 63rd and 79th minutes.

Lewes dropped out of the top five after forfeiting a half-time lead and going down 2-1 to Canvey. It was against the run of play when Paul Booth’s header put Lewes in front after 24 minutes. Alex Rhodes squared it six minutes after the break and Bradley Woods-Garness hit the decider on 73 minutes, leaving Lewes with just three points to show from their last six outings.

Cray also fell out of the play-off places after a 0-0 home draw with Kingstonian. Sam Clayton had a shot cleared off the Cray line and Tommy Whitnell missed two good chances for the hosts.

In-form Margate looked set to advance within two points of the play-off places as they dominated their game at Carshalton. But home keeper Nick Hamann was again in outstanding form as the visitors failed to add to Craig Cloke’s tenth-minute opener.

They paid the price when Paul Vines headed the equaliser from a corner with ten minutes left and worse was to follow for the Kent club in added time when Tom Davis scored with another header to steal a 2-1 victory for the Robins.

There seems no end to the misery for bottom club Horsham. Without a win since August, they are now 16 points adrift of safety after a 5-0 thrashing at Concord, for whom Tony Stokes hit his third hat-trick of the season to take his tally to 16 league goals and 23 in all.

It was Stokes who opened the scoring in the 14th minute and Sherwin Stanley added another on the stroke of half-time. Stokes completed his treble with goals in the 60th and 81st minutes before Mitch Hahn finished the scoring.

The big match at the bottom was at Aveley, and the hosts suffered a costly 3-1 defeat by Tooting, who moved above Leatherhead into 19th place and to within two points of Hastings. Millers, struggling in 21st place, fell behind to a Connor French header after 18 minutes and French made it 2-0 from the spot eight minutes later after he had been fouled.

French also set up the third goal for Steve Ferguson in the 64th minute and a late Dave Knight penalty was slim consolation for the home side. 3

Wingate eased their relegation fears and increased Harrow’s worries with a 3-1 win at Earlsmead. Leon Smith opened the scoring on seven minutes and Gaz Dauti, another player recently with Waltham Forest, headed his first goal for Wingate in the 18th minute.

Long-serving Wayne Walters gave Harrow new hope when he headed home in the 75th minute but the hosts had Wilson Gonowe sent off three minutes later and Wingate clinched the points with a goal by Jon Douglas in added time.

North

RHYS HENRY, who left Harlow for Leiston in October, did much of the damage as the Ryman North leaders visited his old club on Saturday and powered to a 3-0 win to stay two points clear at the top.

Henry’s free-kick gave Leiston an 18th-minute lead and a red card for Ryan Kirby on the hour made it tougher for the Hawks. Nathan Stone scored Leiston’s second three minutes later and Henry struck again ten minutes from time. It finished ten-a-side after Leiston’s Neil Calver was sent off in the closing stages.

Enfield Town maintained their pursuit with a 2-1 home win over lowly Great Wakering, who gave them a fright with a first-minute goal from Teddy Nesbitt. Wakering held their lead until the fifth minute of the second half, when Walid Matata scored from close range, and Nathan Fletcher provided the winner when he sliced the ball into his own net with six minutes left, a mishap which helped to leave Wakering in the relegation zone.

Third-placed Needham Market welcomed star striker Sam Newson back to their starting line-up for the first time in almost two months and celebrated with a 7-0 thrashing of Cheshunt, though Newson was not among the seven different scorers. Lee McGlone started the rout on 13 minutes and Josh Kisby’s own goal made it 2-0 shortly afterwards.

It was 6-0 by half-time as Duane Wright, Danny Bloomfield, James Evans and Danny Thrower found the net at regular intervals. The Marketmen eased up after the break and settled for one more goal, from Deakan Napier in the 83rd minute.

Needham are seven points behind Enfield but strengthened their position considerably as none of the six teams behind them managed to win.

That enabled Harlow to retain fourth place and Grays stayed fifth even though their poor form continued with a 1-0 home defeat by Maldon. Jack Stevenson’s goal after 26 minutes was enough for Maldon as Grays once again failed to turn pressure into goals, though Danny Bunce hit the woodwork twice near the end.

Tilbury are level on points with Grays after snatching a last-gasp draw at Waltham Abbey. Dan Harvey’s volley broke the deadlock eight minutes after half-time but Tilbury replied with a Sam West penalty midway through the half. He missed another spot-kick soon afterwards and it looked to be a costly error when Harvey put the Abbotts in front again two minutes from time, only for Ben Crooks to find the net at the death and make it 2-2.

Brentwood went into their game at Heybridge boasting the best defensive record in the division, a crown they retained even though it was tarnished by a 4-0 defeat. Two goals in as many minutes by Luke Callander just before the half-hour put Swifts on top and they clinched it with two penalties in the last ten minutes. Unusually, they were converted by two different players against two different goalkeepers.

Chris Bryan fired the first past Elliott Justham, who was sent off when he conceded the second spot-kick. Midfielder Steve Butterworth took over the jersey and was beaten by Jack West.

Sudbury were victims of a smash-and-grab raid by visiting Waltham Forest, who came from behind to win 2-1. James Baker headed Sudbury into the lead six minutes before half-time but Arian Retkoceri squared it three minutes after the break.

It was nearly all Sudbury after that but it was Forest who netted the decisive goal in the 65th minute; Manu Dagher picking up the pieces after Peggy Lokando’s shot was parried by Danny Gay.

Potters Bar grabbed a 2-2 draw with a strong finish at Chatham. The visitors had some chances in the first half but fell behind to a Lee Hales goal two minutes before the break. Jason Barton headed home a corner to make it 2-0 on 70 minutes but James Gershfield’s 86th-minute penalty gave the Scholars new hope and Josh Urquhart levelled it in added time.

Redbridge avenged a recent home defeat by Ilford with a 2-1 win at Cricklefield, sending their local rivals back to the foot of the table. 4

Ilford threatened to do it again when Rob Carter scored after seven minutes, but they had to play with ten men for the last 40 minutes after Raffael Kaphouris was sent off. Ryan Wade equalised with a penalty on the hour and Ryan Murray headed the winner ten minutes later.

Ilford are back on the bottom after Ware debutant Lewis Jones scored a late winner against Romford, a result which lifted Ware out of the bottom two altogether as they also climbed above Great Wakering on goal difference.

A straight red card for skipper Paul Clayton after 16 minutes left Romford in trouble but they held out until Jones, on loan from Wingate, netted a close-range strike in the 88th minute. Jamie Dicks was sent off before the end as Romford finished with nine men.

A second-minute goal by Lea Dawson set Thamesmead on their way to a 4-0 win over Soham, though the scoreline was harsh on the visitors who had plenty of the game without finding their finishing touch.

A goalkeeping error allowed Joseph Afusi to put the hosts two up on 38 minutes and Danny Kerrigan added another two minutes later. Soham’s attempts to hit back came to nothing and Afusi hammered his second in the last minute.

South

AND then there were two . . . Only four sides in the league boasted unbeaten home records before Saturday’s games, all in Ryman South, and two of them lost for the first time on home turf.

The biggest surprise came at Folkestone, who were whipped 4-0 by mid-table Merstham. Harry Ottaway was the star of the show with a hat-trick, and it was Ottaway who opened the scoring after ten minutes.

Folkestone’s worries grew when Fabio Saravia headed home in the 28th minute and it was all over when Ottaway scored twice more in the first nine minutes of the second half.

Dulwich also slipped up on their own ground for the first time. They dominated throughout against Godalming but found teenage goalkeeper Jake Somerville in unbeatable form. G’s, ninth in the table but hoping to use their games in hand to get into the play-off hunt, snatched all three points with a breakaway goal by Dan Read on the hour.

That leaves Bognor and Worthing as the only teams yet to be beaten in front of their own fans. Worthing maintained their record with a 4-1 win over Sittingbourne.

Steve Metcalf put them ahead after ten minutes, Matt Hurley headed the second ten minutes later and Ryan McBride quickly added another. Tom Lawley completed Rebels’ tally on 54 minutes, leaving Richard Atkins to provide a 74th-minute consolation for the Brickies.

Bognor were on the road at Faversham and dominated from start to finish in a 2-0 victory. Dan Beck headed the opener on 40 minutes and Terry Dodd netted ten minutes after the break.

Rocks moved four points clear of Whitehawk, who had no game but held on to second place thanks to Dulwich’s slip. Maidstone climbed above Folkestone into fourth place with a 2-0 home victory over Whyteleafe.

Baff Addae put Stones ahead with a third-minute penalty and Alex Waugh made it 2-0 five minutes before the interval, punishing a sliced clearance by keeper Paul Smith.

Leafe, next to bottom of the table, fought hard after the break but in vain, and they are now seven points adrift of safety after Burgess Hill pulled off a 2-0 win at Walton Casuals to give themselves some breathing space.

Neil Watts put them ahead on 30 minutes and Fred Foreman added another with a long-range shot three minutes after the break.

Whitstable, in 19th place, are two points ahead of Hillians after an uneventful 0-0 home draw with Crawley Down.

Chipstead and Hythe, two more sides with outside play-off hopes, dented each other’s prospects with a 1-1 draw on the North Downs. Gary Mickelborough burst clear to put Hythe ahead after eight minutes but an own goal by Pat Kingwell levelled it 11 minutes into the second half.

Walton & Hersham produced a good second-half performance to win 2-0 at Corinthian-Casuals. They hit the woodwork twice before Graeme Purdy netted on 66 minutes and a late Casuals rally was ended by a last-minute Greg Andrews strike.

Ramsgate were held to a 0-0 home draw by Eastbourne. As at Whitstable, the scoreline summed up proceedings. Simon Pettit came closest to scoring with a shot that hit the Eastbourne bar.

Picture manager Andy Raines:  report byAngela Kerrigan:

Their persistence paid off, with Vizzard netting the first goal for Town, Swanscombe struggled to get a grip on the game in the early stages with Whitstable holding most of the possession and having the majority of the shots. Swanscombe looked promising on several occasions but the reds defence looked comfortable at the back and strong in the air to deny the away side any attacking threat on goal. Towards the end of the first half Whitstable found their form and scored 2 goals within quick succession, the first of the two coming from Billy Purdy and the second courtesy of Tom Inglis.

In the second half, Swanscombe came out battling, matching the tempo of Whitstable but as the game progressed, Town pulled ahead again, gaining back the possession and keeping it well. They struggled to break through, despite some good attacking runs down the wing from Acer Newby. Kyle Wisker controlled the game in the middle of the park with Billy Purdy finding space and challenging the Swanscombe right back over and over again.

Towns two strikers looked promising, providing a threat through out the game, and could easily have sunk a few more goals if it hadn’t been for the pitch’s sticky surface.

Swanscombe were awarded a penalty in the last 15 mins of the game which bought the score to 3-1. Town replied, however with a debut goal from Courtney Robinson and another from Gary Vizzard., bringing the final score to 5-1.

Whitstable U18s now face Bromley in the quarter-finals.

Team:- Murray, Heffernan, Thorman, Trott-Brown, Smethers, Purdy, Inglis, Wisker, Newby, Martin, Vizzard. Subs:- Kerrigan, Spratt, Robinson, Baeny.

Whitstable Town U18s next League match is on Sunday 5^th February at The Belmont against Ashford United Youth K.O 11.00

Match report by: Angela Kerrigan

And he had a point; there were steady performances all over the pitchout last from the front pairing of Damien Able and James Pinnock with young Scott Heard looking more matured in his all round play. SEE featured VIEDO (right)

However opportunities were not taken and slowly Crawley Down came back into the game creating their own chances. The second half followed a similar pattern with Crawley Down having a number of opportunities which were effectively snubbed out by the Whitstable defence which is now showing signs of solidity from what had been experienced earlier in the season.

Picture: Sam Dely and Richard Langley watch the action: Whitstable, however, were effective on the break and could have won the game with a couple of breakaway’s particularly towards the end of the game. The final whistle came in what was an entertaining tie with the scores level.

The solid work of the back four is a real bonus to the team and with Dave King looking confident in goal we now seem to be on the up. George Benner and Marc Cumberbatch seem to be forming a strong partnership and with Kevin Clifford and Gary Sayer on the right and left side respectively the defence has become more difficult to breakdown.

Three hours without conceeding:

Whitstable have now gone three hours without conceding a goal and Crawley Down continue to look a dangerous prospect for any team who are not at their best at the back.  With nearly all the squad now available the future looks brighter. Report by Andy Short

By Tony Rouse:

Whitstable Town 0 Crawley Down 0: Town keeper Dave King was voted m.o.m on the pitch after the game, in truth it should have been the whole of the Oystermen’s defence who were solid throughout. The home started the brightest with the visitors on the back foot,

“The best we have started since I took over”:  manager Justin Luchford’s commented after the match. And he had a point; there were steady performances all over the pitchout last from the front pairing of Damien Able and James Pinnock with young Scott Heard looking more matured in his all round play. Manager’s VIDEO  interview to follow