Ryman League Round Up
Division One South - 28 December 2011
FOLKESTONE met Hythe in Ryman League football for the first time on Boxing Day and a crowd of 1,018 assembled to see what was expected to be a tight game between sides lying fourth and eighth in the Ryman South table. It proved to be nothing of the sort: not that the majority of the fans were complaining as the hosts rammed in eight unanswered goals. Even so, Hythe may feel they got off lightly: it was 5-0 at half-time, 7-0 after 52 minutes and the eighth goal arrived with 20 minutes left. Stuart King put Folkestone ahead after ten minutes but there was no hint of what was to come. The floodgates opened, however, when James Everitt headed the second in the 32nd minute. King struck twice more to complete a first-half hat-trick and Josh Vincent claimed the fifth just before the break. King took his personal tally to four with a lob in the 50th minute and Everitt struck again two minutes later. As it happened, the worst was over for Hythe, though Micheal Everitt was to add his name to the scoresheet.
There was an even bigger crowd at Bognor, where the attendance of 1,279 for the Sussex derby was the league’s highest of the season. They saw only one goal, scored by Steve Harper in the 62nd minute after a Jason Prior effort had been blocked. Mike Huckett missed the chance to equalise from the penalty spot, lifting the ball over the bar, and Bognor held out to open up a six-point lead in the table despite having Jon Marzetti dismissed in the closing stages.
Second-placed Dulwich did not play and, despite Folkestone’s spree, Whitehawk remain ahead of them on goal difference, holding on to third spot with a late rally to win 3-2 at Eastbourne. Hawks took a first-minute lead through Josh Jones but Steve May levelled the scores on 20 minutes and Nathan Crabb put Eastbourne in front just before the interval. It was the 83rd minute before Jamahl Hughes made it 2-2 and Ben Godfrey headed the winner three minutes later.
Maidstone ended their five-match losing streak, though visiting Corinthian-Casuals threatened to extend it after Saheed Sankoh put them ahead on the half-hour. Graeme Andrews eventually replied in the 70th minute and Alex Waugh punished a poor clearance by Casuals keeper Adam Peck with six minutes left to give Stones a very welcome 2-1 victory which put them level on points with fifth-placed Worthing.
There is then a six-point gap to Chipstead, in seventh place. They were also victims of a late winner, at Godalming where an 87th-minute strike by Scott Harris was the only goal of the game.
Crawley Down continued their revival in style, hitting five unanswered goals at Burgess Hill. The Anvils are now on 22 points, which is 22 more than they had at the start of October. Luke Blewden opened their account on 27 minutes, the only goal of the first half. Tom Burton doubled the lead on the hour and Jamie Cade doubled it again with goals in the 68th and 85th minute. Fraser Logan finished the job in added time.
Hillians slipped back into the bottom two, below Whyteleafe who drew 1-1 at Merstham despite the 15th-minute dismissal of Fabian Batchelor. Kwabena Agyei put the ten men ahead eight minutes before the interval and Louis Hollingsworth, signed from Horsham just before Christmas, headed the equaliser soon after the break. Fred Fleming almost won it for Whyteleafe, heading against the bar.
The battle of Walton went the way of Walton Casuals, who had home advantage against Walton & Hersham and won 2-0. Alfie Arthur put them ahead after ten minutes and Glenn Stanley, who was transferred across town earlier in the season, hit the second just after the hour mark. Both sides finished with ten men. Swans had Stuart Derry dismissed and that was followed by a second yellow for Casuals’ Richard Taylor.
There was one afternoon game on Tuesday and it produced three important points for Whitstable, who moved five points clear of the relegation zone with their 2-1 success at Ramsgate.
Lewis Heard put the Oystermen ahead after seven minutes and Damien Abel nabbed the second with 20 minutes left. Ian Pulman scored a predictable goal for Rams against his old club but by then it was the 87th minute.
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