Saturday's Round-Up: Vanarama League South

By Steve Whitney

Dartford pulled three points clear at the top of the Vanarama National League South table on Saturday following a late win against ten-man Wealdstone at Grosvenor Vale.

Wealdstone suffered a massive blow 3 minutes before half-time when they had Iffy Allen sent-off for a challenge on Andy Pugh.

However, it was the ten-men who eventually broke the deadlock after 67 minutes when Dan Fitchett headed a David Pratt cross into the top corner.

The Darts woke up though and grabbed a win with two goals in 2 minutes, starting on 80 when Danny Mills headed home a Ryan Hayes cross.

And then Alfie Pavey headed a Hayes corner in to win it for Tony Burman`s side.

Havant & Waterlooville are now second by a point after they beat Hungerford Town 2-0 at Westleigh Park, overtaking Hampton & Richmond Borough, who were held to a 3-3 draw in a dramatic encounter at Hardenhuish Park by lowly Chippenham Town.

Jason Prior proved to be the Hawks` hero, bagging both goals in the 35th and 50th minutes to see off a Hungerford outfit who have fallen down to eighteenth in the table.

And that`s just a place above Chippenham, who looked to be heading for three crucial points as they led the Beavers 3-2 going into stoppage time at the end of the game.

But a dramatic last-minute header from debutant Shaun Jeffers salvaged a point for Hampton.

James Guthrie’s 24th minute goal straight from a corner had opened the scoring, before a second half Max Kretzschmar double put the Beavers ahead.

Alex Ferguson equalised from another corner before Kretzschmar fouled Dan Bowman to give Andy Sandell the chance to put the Bluebirds back in front from the penalty spot.

Hampton had the last word and deep into stoppage time Jeffers – signed on loan from Boreham Wood yesterday - headed home a Kretzschmar corner in what proved to be the final kick of the match.

It turned out to a be a dreadful day for the play-off chasing teams as only Havant and Dartford out of the top nine managed to win.

Two of them, Chelmsford City and Hemel Hempstead Town, shared another 3-3 draw at the Melbourne Community Stadium, while the other two in the top seven, St Albans City and Truro City, both lost, as did eighth-placed Braintree Town, while Bath City in ninth, drew 1-1.

A crowd of just under 1000 saw David Moyo give Hemel a 26th minute lead that Chelmsford`s Chris Dickson levelled within 4 minutes.

Spencer McCall restored the Tudors lead 4 minutes later, only for City to respond swiftly once more through Anthony Church.

Ismail Yakubu put Hemel in front for a third time 8 minutes into the second half, and this time there was no response from the Clarets until 5 minutes from time when Danny Green popped up to make it 3-3.

St Albans were beaten 3-1 at Park View Road by a Welling United side who are suddenly back in the play-off picture in tenth, but just two points behind Truro in seventh.

But the Wings had to come back from being a 49th minute David Noble penalty behind to win.

However, they equalised within a minute through Bradley Goldberg and took only 4 more minutes to take the lead through Jack Parkinson.

A third from recent recruit Jamie Philpot ensured the points for the hosts.

Truro let a two-goal half-time lead slip to lose 3-2 at home to Oxford City.

The home side went in front after 10 minutes when a corner was headed home by skipper Ben Gerring.

Nine minutes later, Tyler Harvey linked up with Aaron Lamont who chipped home with a neat finish to double the White Tigers` lead.

Just past the half-hour mark Zac McEachran hit the crossbar with an effort for the visitors before Godfrey Poku fired over from the rebound.

The visitors pulled a goal back from the penalty spot 7 minutes into the second half when Austen Booth fouled McEachran in the area and Mat Patterson stepped up to slot home to make it 2-1.

The scores were level just past the hour-mark when Sam Nombe got in a strike that found its way into the top corner beyond the despairing dive of Tom McHale.

Worse was to follow on 76 minutes when Nombe won the ball before striding through and confidently slotting beyond the exposed McHale to win it for Oxford.

Andy Watkins rescued a point for Bath against bottom-of-the-table Whitehawk.

Yannis Ambroisine had the in-form Hawks ahead after 23 minutes.

City`s Jack Compton spurned a first half penalty with a tame spot-kick saved easily by `keeper Dan Wilks.

The Hawks` Nathaniel Pinney hit the crossbar shortly after the break and Zach Fagan’s dismissal had the visitors down to ten-men with 9 minutes to go, but it wasn’t until stoppage time that Watkins popped up to head home the equaliser.

Braintree also slipped up against relegation-battling opposition in second-bottom Bognor Regis Town.

The Rocks earned a crucial 2-1 win at Nyewood Lane to move to within four points of third-bottom Poole Town, who lost, but still eight of the safety-mark.

Bognor got off to a great start when Richard Gilot put them in front inside the opening 3 minutes.

And then 5 minutes before half-time, Ollie Pearce doubled the Rocks` lead.

The Iron `won` the second half with a goal from Billy Crook after 64 minutes, but the hosts held firm for three good points.

Poole suffered a disappointing 4-0 home defeat to Eastbourne Borough.

Lloyd Dawes gave Boro the boost of an early 4th minute lead that Charlie Harris added to within 15 minutes.

Gavin McCallum gave the visitors a three-goal advantage with 8 minutes of the opening half remaining and added a fourth in time added on at the end of the game.

Gloucester City gained a vital win at Evesham against Concord Rangers to move to seventeenth in the table – a point and a place below the Beachboys.

But the Tigers left it late as Ed Williams kept his nerve to convert a 90th minute penalty.

East Thurrock United earned a much-needed point from a 2-2 draw at the Woodspring Stadium against Weston-super-Mare.

It could have been so much better as Rocks led 2-0 after 20 minutes, through Sam Higgins and Montel Agyemang.

But the Seagulls scored twice before the half was out through Gethyn Hill on 22 minutes and Kristian Scott right on half-time as the points were shared.

Where next?

Saturday's Round-Up: Vanarama National League Macclesfield Town moved four points clear at the top of the Vanarama National League table on Saturday after a 2-1 win at the EBB Stadium against in-form, but ten-man Aldershot Town.
Saturday’s Round-Up: Vanarama National League North Salford City maintained their two-point lead at the top of the Vanarama National League North table on Saturday after a fine first half performance helped them to a 3-2 win at the Impact Arena against an Alfreton Town side who are in need of points to avo

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