The Ryman League Premier Division title race has been blown wide open following leaders Maidstone's 2-1 defeat at second-placed Hendon on Saturday.

Maidstone led through Jay May, but Andre Da Costa struck an equaliser for the home side just before the break.

The turning point came in the 53rd minute when Tom Mills was sent off for handball and a penalty awarded to Hendon. Sam Murphy scored to put the title race in the hands of his side.

Hendon are five points behind Maidstone but have two games in hand, however they travel to Hartsdown Park on Thursday to take on Margate, who are three points further back in third and also have two games in hand on the leaders.

Margate boosted their title hopes with a 2-0 win at Peacehaven & Telscombe. Zac Attwood scored both goals in the second half of a game Gate dominated from start to finish.

Tonbridge Angels eased their relegation worries with a 4-0 win at home to second-bottom AFC Hornchurch.

First-half goals from Jerome Sobers (13) and Tom Parkinson (45) put them in control and Billy Medlock made in 3-0 halfway through the second half.

A last-minute Royce Greenidge strike sealed the win to lift them to 18th in the table, five points from the drop zone.

Fellow strugglers VCD Athletic beat bottom side Bury Town to close the gap to five points from safety.

Michael Power fired them in front after 14 minutes and Ben Payne doubled the lead eight minutes later.

Russell Short pulled one back for already-relegated Bury on the hour but nine minutes later Power struck his second to make it 3-1.

Phil Weavers score a very late consolation, but VCD hung on to boost their survival hopes.

In Division 1 South, Herne Bay's slim hopes of reaching the play-offs ended when they were beaten 1-0 at struggling Hastings United. Olalekan Bankole scoring the goal in the 71st minute.

Whitstable can still mathematically make the play-offs after they beat South Park 4-2 at The Belmont.

South Park took the lead through Jack Higgins after 19 minutes, but two goals in a minute, four minutes later, turned the game on its head.

A Dan Guscott own goal, followed by a Joe Kane strike put Whitstable in front and that was how it stayed until Kane Rowland made it 3-1 on 58 minutes.

Chris Smith pulled one back for Park, but Rowland scored his second to seal the win late on ahead of Easter Monday's derby against Bay.

Faversham moved back up to second courtesy of a 1-0 win at home to Tooting & Mitcham, Wayne Wilson scoring 13 minutes from time.

Folkestone were second for 24 hours, after they earned a 1-0 home win in their Good Friday clash against Chipstead. Josh Vincent scored the goal in the 71st minute.

Elsewhere on Good Friday, Ramsgate moved out of the relegation zone with a brilliant 2-0 away win at high-flying Merstham.

A Junior Kaffo own goal put them in front just after the hour mark before a late Matt Adams goal secured the win. However, Hastings' win against Herne Bay 24 hours later dropped Rams back into the drop zone.

Meanwhile Sittingbourne lost the early fixture on Saturday 3-0 at Guernsey, while Hythe were beaten 2-1 at Worthing.

In Division 1 North, a second-half fightback moved Chatham six points clear of the drop zone with a 3-1 win at home to Soham Town Rangers.

Luke Stanley put the visitors in front on 24 minutes, but two goals in six second-half minutes from Kieron McCann (51) and George Humber (57) put Chats 2-1 up.

Connor French then sealed the win with two minutes remaining.

Cray Wanderers' extraordinary run of good form continued as they made it five wins on the bounce by winning away at second-placed Harlow Town to move to within two points of safety.

Second-half goals from Tom Ayotomiwa (49) and Alex Teniola (83) secured the three points ahead of their derby clash at Chatham on Easter Monday.

Elsewhere a George Benner strike just after the hour earned Thamesmead a 1-0 win against Maldon & Tiptree.