18 October 2009
Newport County sit top of the Blue Square South after second half substitute Charlie Henry took just six minutes to score the decisive goal with a powerful shot into the roof of the net against St Albans City at Clarence Park. The Saints have now picked up just 1 point from their last four home games leaving the Hertfordshire side sixteenth in the table with fourteen points, just three above the drop zone.
Dover kept up their push for the title with a 2-1 win at Weymouth. Jon Wallis gave the visitors the lead with just ten minutes on the clock before Shaun Welford doubled the lead seventeen minutes later. Dover had to cope with some late pressure from Weymouth who grabbed a goal back two minutes from time, Jake Reid hitting the ball home to set up a nervous final few minutes for the visitors. The defeat means Weymouth have won just one of their last four league games at the Wessex Stadium.
Thurrock have now won five of their seven leagues games at home this season after hitting five past Dorchester Town on Saturday. The visitors took the lead with just two minutes gone, with Matt Groves slotting the ball home from close range.. Fola Orinolishe responded for Thurrock just two minutes later when he smashed the ball home through Regan Coward’s legs. Just as the away side looked to have kept Thurrock at bay, two goals in a minute killed the game. Matt Bodkin saw his long range effort deflected into the top corner to give Thurrock the lead before Leon McKenzie slotted home from just inside the box to send the home side in at half time 3-1 up. Leon Lalite extended the home side's lead just after the hour mark before Thurrock scored a fifth with over fifteen minutes to go when Bryant smashed a volley into the bottom corner from the edge of the box. With a minute to go Phil Walsh scored a consolation for Dorchester with a close range header. Thurrock sit third in the table, three points off league leaders Newport County while the defeat for Dorchester leaves them in twentieth place with just eleven points.
Down at the bottom of the table, Lewes traveled to fellow league strugglers Weston-super-Mare looking for their first league win of the season which looked unlikely when Dave Gilroy, on-loan from Newport County, put the Seagulls ahead in the 12th minute. The visitors continued to pressure the home side and were rewarded nine minutes before the break when Fred Foreman drew the sides level. In a game where you wouldn't be able to tell who was higher in the league, on loan Dave Gilroy was the difference between the home side and visitors Lewes. The forward slotted a killer-goal past Lewes keeper Rikki Banks just two minutes into the second half before he completed his hat-trick seven minutes later. Andy Pearson headed home in the last minute, but it was too little, too late for Lewes who sit twenty first in the league with seven points.
In form Maidenhead United picked up their fifth win in their last six league games, thrashing Eastleigh 3-0. Two superb goals from Will Hendry plus a Staforde Palmer strike on the hour mark were enough to give the Magpies their third away win of the season. The defeat for Eastleigh leaves them fifteenth in the table just four points above the relegation zone.
Bath City came out on top of a seven goal thriller at Twerton Park on Saturday against visitors Basingstoke Town. It was the visitors who took the lead after just seven minutes through Downes' neat finish before he doubled the visitors lead just after the half hour mark with a stunning 20 yard strike. Gethin Jones' close range header just before the break gave Bath City hope going into the interval. With just two mintues of the second half gone the home side were level, Hakin turning a Florin Pelecaci cross into his own net. Hankin's afternoon then got worse when he was shown a second yellow card twenty minutes from time. City took the lead against ten man Basingstoke from the resulting freekick, Jones blasting the ball into the back of the net. However, there was another twist as four minutes later, Basingsoke scored from their first attack of the half when Mitchell powerfully headed past Steve Perrin. It looked as if the game would finish level but two minutes into stoppage time another free-kick caused havoc in the Basingstoke box and substitute Mike Perrott turned the ball home at the far post to earn Bath City all three points. The win leaves Bath thirteenth in the table while Basingstoke sit eighth.
Elsewhere, Bishop's Stortford picked up their third home win of the season thanks to a 1-0 win against Havant & Waterlooville. Braintree sit sixth after a 2-0 win at home against mid table Staines Town. Glenn Pennyfather's Chelmsford City sit eleventh in the table after beating league strugglers Welling United 3-1 at Melbourne Park. Lastly, Hampton and Richmond drew 2-2 at home against Worcester City.
