Saturday’s Round-Up: Vanarama National League South

By Steve Whitney

Braintree Town are the new leaders on Saturday after they recorded a fine 3-0 win at Tatnam against Poole Town, while overnight table-toppers Dartford suffered a 3-1 defeat at Truro City.

It was goalless in Dorset at the break, but 4 minutes after the interval, Poole suffered a major blow when they had Will Spetch dismissed for a second yellow card after catching Dernell Wynter with a late tackle.

Wynter it was who broke the deadlock on the hour-mark to give the Iron the lead.

And 15 minutes from time, Mahrez Bettache doubled their advantage.

Three minutes after that it was game over when Billy Crook scored Braintree`s third.

Truro knocked the Darts off top spot and moved into third place themselves after a 3-1 victory in the wind and rain at Treyew Road.

The White Tigers took the lead on 13 minutes when Tyler Harvey was brought down inside the area and he stepped up to convert from the penalty spot.

It was two goals in as many minutes when a neat move down the right ended with the ball fed to Cody Cooke who lashed the ball home.

Home fans in the 541 crowd were in dreamland after 19 minutes when Connor Riley-Lowe`s shot was blocked, and Cooke netted the rebound to make it 3-0.

The visitors managed to pull a goal back on 24 minutes when a low free-kick into a crowded penalty area saw Ronnie Vint turn the ball home.

The Darts showed plenty of endeavour and there were chances at either end but Truro held on to claim a hard-earned three points to move up into third place in the table.

Truro moved above Welling United, who dropped to fourth after being held to a 3-3 draw at Park View Road by struggling Concord Rangers.

Amos Nasha Junior gave the Beachboys an early 9th minute advantage.

And that was all that separated the teams at half-time.

Then, on the hour-mark, Kyron Farrell doubled Concord`s lead, only for Joe Healy to reduce the deficit 5 minutes later.

Elijah Phipps, on loan from Colchester, then equalised 3 minutes after that and the new signing marked his debut with a third goal to give the Wings the lead with 5 minutes remaining.

However, Khale Da Costa grabbed a stoppage time leveller for the visitors.

Hemel Hempstead Town, Havant & Waterlooville and St Albans City occupy the remaining places in the top seven – but none of them were able to record a win on Saturday.

The Hawks and the Tudors shared a 1-1 Westleigh Park draw.

Havant`s disappointing home form continues as they led through Ryan Woodford`s goal 5 minutes before half-time.

But a penalty converted by Jordan Parkes 7 minutes from the end of normal time salvaged a point for Hemel.

St Albans came back from behind three times at Hardenhuish Park to earn a 3-3 draw against Chippenham Town.

Will Richards gave the Bluebirds an early 7th minute lead that Zane Banton cancelled out 10 minutes later.

Richards restored the home side`s advantage after 32 minutes and this time they held that until the 66th minute when Tom Bender levelled.

But Alex Ferguson once again gave Chippenham the lead almost immediately afterwards.

Rhys Murrell-Williamson then earned the Saints a point with a 78th minute equaliser.

Bath City’s two-month run without a league win came to an end in convincing style at Twerton Park against East Thurrock United.

Both sides came into the game in poor form and City grabbed the opening goal on 15 minutes with a brilliant effort by Bristol City loanee Opi Edwards.

Miles Welch-Hayes unleashed an effort from outside the area to make it 2-0 on the 45-minute mark and then in first half injury-time, Andy Watkins made it 3-0.

The second half saw City eventually add a fourth through Tom Smith in the 76th minute.

Chelmsford City were surprised by Emirates FA Cup heroes Oxford City, who moved to third-bottom after winning 2-1 at Melbourne Park.

Dave Pearce gave Oxford a 13th minute lead.

Nine minutes into the second period, Godfrey Poku doubled the visitors` advantage.

The Clarets pulled one goal back on 65 minutes through Max Porter but were unable to find a second and the hosts slipped to ninth in the table.

Bognor Regis Town have dropped into second-bottom spot after they suffered a 2-1 Nyewood Lane defeat to Hampton & Richmond Borough, who are vnow eighth.

But the Beavers had to come back from being a 13th minute Ibra Sekajja goal down.

Bradley Hudson-Odoi equalised 6 minutes before the break.

And the winner arrived 9 minutes from time when sub Brendan Kiernan was brought down in the box and Max Kretzschmar tucked away the resulting penalty to make it a dozen games unbeaten for Alan Dowson`s side.

Whitehawk remain firmly rooted to the bottom of the table after losing for a fourteenth time in eighteen games at Evesham against Gloucester City.

Joe Parker gave the Tigers the boost of an early 9th minute lead.

Karnell Chambers doubled that lead after 32 minutes, although Enoch Andoh did manage to reduce that to one with a Hawks reply just before the break.

But a Chris Knowles goal just past the hour-mark settled the game in the home side`s favour.

Weston-super-Mare leap-frogged Eastbourne Borough into thirteenth place after inflicting a 5-1 hammering on the Sussex side at the Woodspring Stadium.

Danny Greenslade put the Seagulls into an early 6th minute lead that Gavin McCallum cancelled out 2 minutes before half-time.

But a burst of three goals in 6 minutes just after the hour-mark killed off the contest.

Gethyn Hill gave the hosts the lead and then top scorer Dayle Grubb bagged a quickfire brace to make it 4-1, with Hill grabbing his second and Weston`s fifth in the 75th minute.

In contrast, there was only one goal at Grosvenor Vale – and it came in stoppage time at the end of the game to earn Wealdstone a 1-0 win against Hungerford Town.

Abobaker Eisa was brought down in the box and he took it himself to win the points for the Stones.

Where next?

Hodges Happy As Truro Get Back To Winning Ways Lee Hodges hopes Truro City’s promotion push is now back on track after ending their poor recent run by stunning the league leaders.
Saturday’s Round Up: Vanarama National League North It turned out to be a good Saturday for Salford City as they moved seven points clear at the top of the table.

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