Isthmian League round-up: Danny Kedwell scores Chatham winner, Folkestone stun Billericay, Ramsgate drop points
Published: 09:45, 04 February 2024
Updated: 09:54, 04 February 2024
Danny Kedwell rolled back the years for Chatham against Whitehawk in the Isthmian Premier on Saturday.
The 40-year-old striker scored from close range after good work down the left by substitute Jamie Yila to hand Chats a 2-1 win.
Khale Da Costa had put the visitors ahead early in the second half before Rob O’Toole equalised for Whitehawk almost immediately.
Folkestone are nine points clear of the relegation zone after stunning play-off chasing Billericay with a 2-1 win in Essex.
First-half goals from a David Smith penalty and Kane Penn did the damage with Billericay pulling one back deep in second-half stoppage time by Frankie Merrifield.
Cray Wanderers made it back-to-back league wins for the first time since November with a 2-1 success at Carshalton. Ellis Brown scored in either half for Neil Smith’s men.
Margate remain in the relegation zone after losing at home to Dulwich – read the match report here.
Isthmian Premier table
Isthmian South East leaders Ramsgate dropped points for only the fifth time this season after being held to a 2-2 draw at Hythe.
Hythe made a dream start inside 15 minutes when Lex Allan headed in a Frannie Collin free-kick but Ramsgate levelled just before the break through former Maidstone and Ebbsfleet midfielder Jack S Paxman.
Alfie Paxman put Rams ahead in the second half but Jake Embery scored his 10th goal of the campaign to level matters with 11 minutes left.
Second-placed Cray Valley close the gap to six points with two games in hand after Matt Vigor’s second-half strike earned them a 1-0 win at Merstham.
Mitchell May and Chris Harris both scored twice as third-placed Sittingbourne thrashed Burgess Hill 5-0 at Woodstock in front of 305. Donvieve Jones completed their tally.
Jacob Lambert’s 76th-minute header from substitute Danny Leonard’s pin-point cross handed Sheppey a 1-0 home win over Three Bridges.
That result kept them in fifth, ahead of Herne Bay on goal difference after Steve Lovell’s men got back to winning ways at Lancing.
Second-half goals from Harrison Pont, Frankie Smith and Kane Rowland sealed a 3-0 win.
Jordan Abobia marked his Ashford debut with a brace as they came from behind to beat Beckenham 3-2 and end a five-game losing streak.
Home fans might have feared the worst when Dieko Falade put bottom side Beckenham ahead but Ian Draycott levelled.
Abobia put Ashford ahead early in the second half and while Alfie Bloomfield made it 2-2, he struck again with 20 minutes left.
Isthmian South East table
Elsewhere, there were defeats for Erith & Belvedere, Phoenix Sports and Sevenoaks against Broadbridge Heath, Littlehampton and Horndean respectively.
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Matthew Panting