Isthmian League round-up includes a dramatic late Premier Division win for Herne Bay and a debut for ex-Gillingham striker Adebayo Akinfenwa as Faversham lose at Lancing
Published: 21:47, 11 March 2023
Updated: 23:16, 11 March 2023
Herne Bay boosted their Isthmian Premier survival bid with a late comeback victory over Bognor Regis.
Bay held a minute’s applause for club photographer Keith Davy before kick-off, following his death yesterday.
And the team did him proud by battling back for a 2-1 victory which moves them to within five points of safety, with a game in hand.
Trailing to Sam De St Croix’s early opener, man-of-the-match Laurence Harvey levelled with a 90th-minute thunderbolt and midfielder Connor Dymond scored a long-range winner four minutes into added time.
In a statement announcing Davy’s death, Bay said: “Everyone at Herne Bay Football Club would like to pass on our condolences to his family, friends and everyone that knew him.
"RIP Keith. You will be deeply missed.”
Folkestone slipped three places to 10th after a 2-1 defeat at promotion-chasing Aveley.
Defender Ian Gayle’s second-half strike cancelled out Ryan Scott’s opener but Folkestone were denied a point when Benas Vaivada struck three minutes from time.
Margate collapsed in the second half at Canvey Island, losing 5-2.
Player-assistant manager Ben Greenhalgh gave Gate a half-time lead but Canvey stormed back with three goals in three minutes from Elliot Ronto and Evans Kouassi (2).
Freddy Barton gave the visitors hope but Kouassi’s hat-trick goal and a Bradley Sach strike moved Canvey clear in the closing stages.
Play-off hopefuls Cray Wanderers beat Potters Bar 5-0 through efforts from Yahaya Bamba, Dan Bassett, Destiny Oladipo, Sam Wood and Rio Campbell.
Substitute Rowan Liburd scored a hat-trick in the last 10 minutes as Ramsgate moved four points clear at the top of Isthmian South East.
A big crowd of 1,141 at Southwood saw TJ Jadama add to Gil Carvalho’s first-half opener before Liburd’s late show completed a 5-0 victory over East Grinstead.
Title rivals Chatham lost ground after being held to a goalless draw at home to Haywards Heath, while Louie Theophanous struck twice at the end as third-placed Beckenham beat Littlehampton 4-2.
Jamarie Brissett and Ibrahim Jalloh got their earlier goals.
Cray Valley moved up to fifth after beating play-off rivals Ashford 5-1.
Ade Adeyemo and Adam Coombes doubles gave the Millers a four-goal lead at the break.
Forward Adeyemo completed his hat-trick early in the second half, with Gary Lockyer pulling one back.
Sevenoaks dropped to sixth, with David Kawa scoring a late consolation in a 3-1 defeat at Whitehawk.
Jason Fregene scored the only goal, shortly after half-time, as play-off hopefuls Hythe bounced back from a first defeat in eight matches by beating Chichester at Reachfields.
Fellow contenders Sheppey beat relegation-threatened VCD 1-0 thanks to Warren Mfula’s first-half effort.
Matthew May’s last-minute penalty salvaged a 1-1 draw for Sittingbourne at home to Three Bridges.
Ex-Margate striker Noel Leighton gave the visitors the lead.
Adebayo Akinfenwa's Faversham debut ended in defeat as the bottom two both lost.
Former Gillingham striker Akinfenwa, tempted out of retirement at the age of 40, played the first half of the Lilywhites' 2-1 loss at Lancing.
They led at the break through Gills loanee Ronald Sithole but Tyrese Menzi Mthuzi and a late Reece Hallard goal turned the match the hosts' way.
Corinthian keeper Daniel Colmer was sent off in a 4-1 defeat at Burgess Hill. Oscar Housego scored their consolation.
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Craig Tucker