Saturday’s Round-Up: Vanarama National League South

By Steve Whitney

The race for the Vanarama National League South title is going right to the wire following wins for both leaders Dartford and second-placed Havant & Waterlooville on Saturday.

Danny Mills headed in his third goal in a week to give the Darts a 37th minute lead at Princes Park against Bath City.

And then Alfie Pavey scored his 26th goal of the season to confirm victory after 69 minutes.

Havant won at Chelmsford City and they have home games against East Thurrock United on Wednesday and against Concord Rangers next weekend, while Darts finish their campaign at relegated Bognor Regis Town.

Jason Prior gave the Hawks an early 4th minute lead at Melbourne Stadium.

Wes Fogden scored a second after 38 minutes to leave Lee Bradbury`s side three points adrift of the Darts, with that game in hand.

Hampton & Richmond Borough lead the race for the second automatic play-off semi-final spot after damaging St Albans City’s own play-off hopes with a 3-1 win at Clarence Park.

Charlie Wassmer gave the Beavers a 10th minute lead that Zane Banton levelled in the 39th minute, only for Shaun Jeffers to restore the visitors` advantage right on the stroke of half-time.

The Saints conceded a third with 12 minutes left through Taurean Roberts which has left them now depending on other results as they only have one game remaining and all around them have two.

Hemel Hempstead Town trail Hampton by a point after easing to a 3-0 win at the Vauxhall Ground against Eastbourne Borough, for whom this was a third successive defeat.

Spencer McCall gave the Tudors a great start with a goal inside 5 minutes.

And Jordan Parkes added a second just after the half-hour mark.

And a third from Alex Osborn finally arrived in the 87th minute to make it na comfortable afternoon in the sun for the home side.

Despite Saturday`s defeat, Chelmsford could still pip either Hampton or Hemel to the second automatic semi-final spot as they have two games remaining and are three and two points behind respectively.

Braintree Town climbed into sixth place after a 2-1 victory at Treyew Road against fellow contenders Truro City.

The Iron leapfrogged both St Albans and the White Tigers after goals from Ben Wyatt after 8 minutes and then Dan Thompson on 63 minutes after Jamie Richards had equalised midway through the first half.

Brad Quinton’s side have games against Oxford City in midweek followed by a final day encounter with Gloucester City - both at the Ironmongery Direct Stadium.

Welling United maintained their outside chances of getting into the top seven mix after beating mid-table Weston-super-Mare 3-1 at Park View Road.

It would take a lot of results to go their way along with beating Bath and Chippenham Town in their remaining matches for it to happen, but at least they have kept their season going, thanks to a quickfire opening with an 8th minute Olu Durojaiye effort.

Jack Parkinson added a second after 23 minutes and, with Jarrad Welch reducing the arrears 10 minutes into the second half, the Wings were back in control less than a minute later through Jack Jebb.

Poole Town kept their hopes of staying up a big boost with a 1-0 win at Concord Rangers, who are still not quite safe themselves, while fourth-bottom Hungerford Town remain in trouble after losing at Bulpit Lane to a relaxed Whitehawk side whose relegation was confirmed in midweek.

It was a terrific strike from Steve Devlin 3 minutes into stoppage time at the end of the game that won it for the Dolphins at The Aspect Arena.

Elsewhere, Wealdstone and Chippenham Town played out a scintillating 4-4 draw at Grosvenor Vale in a game that had three red cards, one hat-trick and eight goals, two of them being overhead kicks – who said there was little riding on the result!

The visitors opening intensity saw them take a two-goal lead inside 9 minutes through Nick McCootie and Andy Sandell.

Glenn Wilson pulled one back just 4 minutes later for the hosts but Sandell struck again on 20 minutes asserting the visitors` dominance.

The visitors were in cruise control until just before half-time when the game took a turn.

Jeffrey Monakana’s cross found Bradley Bubb and he hit an overhead kick to net past Chippenham’s 41-year old stand-in keeper Jason Matthews and moments after Dean Evans was shown a second yellow card for a foul on sub Ryan Sellers, reducing Chippenham to ten-men.

However, Wealdstone’s man advantage lasted just minutes as Eddie Oshodi evened up the red cards just a minute into the second half.

But the Stones equalised through David Pratt heading in Ryan Sellers’ inch-perfect cross against his former club, who were were reduced to nine-men minutes later as Alex Ferguson was given a second yellow card after upending Monakana.

Wealdstone pounced immediately by Pratt flicking in Ricky Wellard’s corner and taking the lead for the first time in the game.

And on 81 minutes Sandell grabbed his hat-trick to finalise the scoring to a crazy game!

Oxford City beat already-doomed Bognor 4-0 at home, thanks to a Matt Patterson brace in the 39th and 43rd minutes and then Frankie Musonda after 76 minutes and Robbie Sinclair a minute from time.

Gloucester eased to a 3-1 win at the Jubilee Stadium against an out-of-form East Thurrock side.

Jamal Lawrence after 12 minutes and Noah Smerdon after 26 minutes gave the Tigers a cushion that Sammy Knott cut 5 minutes into the second half.

Hayden Turner added a third for City 12 minutes from time.

(Edmund Boyden Photos)

Where next?

I'm The Man To Bring Trinity Back Up, Says Determined Sinnott Lee Sinnott wants to be the man to get Gainsborough Trinity back on the up after their relegation was confirmed on Saturday.
Saturday’s Round-Up: Vanarama National League It`s congratulations to Macclesfield Town, whose 2-0 win over Eastleigh at the Silverlake Stadium on Saturday lunchtime in front of the live BT Sport cameras, secured the Vanarama National League title with a game to spare.

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