Conf South Round up 19th March ’15

Matt Lee Football Article
Sat 14th, Mon 16th & Tues 17th
March 2015

This week ten games took place in the Vanarama Conference South including four draws. On Monday and Tuesday there were also five games that took place.

Bath City held a ‘Pay What You Want’ Community Day on Saturday which attracted a bumper crowd of 775, but a lack of chances for either side resulted in a 1-1 with Concord Rangers. The Romans scored with the first threat to either keeper just before the half hour mark. Bath’s Frankie Artus whipped in a corner for Phil Walsh to beat his man and head home. Chances were few and far between in the second half and it looked like Bath would get the three points only a few minutes left on the clock. However Concord’s substitute Tony Stokes had other ideas as the ball found him unmarked on the right, cutting in and curling a shot into the net via the post.

Ebbsfleet earned a back to back league win for the first time since October over struggling nine-man Maidenhead. The only goal of the game came when Dean Rance picked out Adam Cunnington in the Maidenhead half. Cunnington spotted keeper Ashley Timms was well off his line so volleyed the ball over him and into the goal for his seventh league goal since joining the Kent club. As the Fleet looked to put more past Maidenhead a rugged defence saw the visiting skipper Mark Nisbit shown a straight red in the 69th minute for a foul on substitute Tyrone Marsh. De’Reece Vanderhyde followed soon after as he picked up his second yellow for a foul on Fleet skipper Stuart Lewis.

Chelmsford plucked an important 1-0 away win from the hands of Gosport. Despite the home side having more dominance in terms of creativity, the Clarets took the lead in the eleventh minute and managed to hold on for the win. Mason Spence was found in the middle of the box from a Jack Bridge cross to put the away side 1-up. Rory Williams picked up a yellow for a dangerous challenge on a Chelmsford striker before he was then shown his marching orders in the final minute for two yellows. Lovelock somehow produced a spectacular save to deny a late Bennett goal from blank range. The Clarets win put an end to Gosport’s 12-game unbeaten home record.

A debut for Stortford’s keeper James Bransgrove saw the new player keep a cleansheet against a tough Sutton side. There were a series of chances for either side to get a decisive goals however fantastic saves from the on-loan Colchester keeper denied Sutton.

Havant & Waterlooville demolished Wealdstone’s long unbeaten away run by scoring two in two second half minutes. For the first goal, Wealdstone cleared the ball to Brian Stock, around 25 yards from goal, who quickly fired a shot back into the Wealdstone goalmouth with Brian Dutton redirecting the ball past the inside of the far post. Luke O’Nien then challenged keeper Ryan Young and pulled his side level after 29 minutes. However Scott Donnelly took centre stage scoring twice to give Havant the win. As Brian Stock was judged to have been fouled in the box by James Hammond with Donnely making no mistake from the spot. Then Donnelly got his second as his well timed run saw him lift his effort over the on-rushing Jonathan North.

Hayes & Yeading moved six points clear of the drop as a brace from Elliot Benyon saw his side take all points from struggling Farnborough. Luke Williams saw his curled free-kick punched away by Boro keeper Magnus Norman but Benyon kneed the loose ball in from close range after 27 minutes. Benyon then doubled the lead when his one-two with Dominic Green saw him burst through one-on-one with Norman, and he tucked home calmly.

Hemel Hempstead scored a late equaliser to deny visiting Bromley a vital three points. The visitors must have thought they would be travelling home with all three points when they scored in the 93rd minute. After a series of corners, Jamie Slabber finally broke the deadlock as he forced the ball home from close range. However drama followed: Straight from kick off, returning loanee Luke Allen raced through to the other end only to chip Alan Julian the Bromley keeper.

Nicky Forster gave three debuts to Staines however a youthful Eastbourne side ran out winners. The only goal of the game came in the 33rd minute when Nathaniel Pinnney latched onto a long clearance before chipping it over the onrushing Jack Turner.

Weston Super Mare’s late surge up the table was halted as two first half goals made an end to St Albans eight match winless run. City defender Darren Locke had two attempts before Sam Corcoran opened the scoring with a fine effort from 18 yards following good work down the right wing by James Comley. Following a promising few moments for the Saints, John Frendo pounced home to stab home a second goal.

A 2-2 draw occured between Boreham Wood and Whitehawk. The partnership between Junior Morais and Lee Angol has produced 27 goals this season and the two were involved in yet another goal as the home side went ahead after only 20 minutes. Angol held off his marker, released McMahon who combined his pace and a delightful cross left Morais with a simple finish; his eighth this season. The pace of the game slowed until Jake Robinson equalised in the 63rd minute. Steve King’s men went ahead 14 minutes from time. Robinson picked out his strike partner Danny Mills, who side footed into the roof of the net. However the lead lasted only three minutes when McMahon’s deep in swinging corner was buried by Shakes at the far post.

Then, on Monday evening, Wealdstone moved upto eleventh after a convincing 3-0 victory over Gosport courtesy of goals from Matt Ball, Scott McGleish and Jefferson Louis.

On Tuesday: Bromley hit five past struggling Farnborough. Goals from Moses Ademola, Jack Holland, Bradley Goldberg and a brace from Jamie Slabber sent Bromley four points clear at the top of the table..

Staines Town kept only their second clean sheet of the season in Vanarama South in a low-quality goalless stalemate at Hayes & Yeading on Tuesday night. The only other team to have failed to score against the Swans this season was Bishop’s Stortford at Wheatsheaf Park on November 22. Relegation will be finally be confirmed mathematically if they fail to win at leaders Bromley on Saturday (March 21), but there are hints of positivity in the Swans’ camp after a contest they should have won.

Liam Enver-Marum scored a dramatic late winner for Basingstoke Town at the Soccer AM Stadium to maintain their push for promotion against Weston-Super-Mare. It was no more than Jason Bristow’s men deserved following a spirited fightback after going a goal down in the first half to the Somerset side. A strange own goal pulled them level in an absorbing match that saw Basingstoke rattle the woodwork no less than three times, twice in the first half through Rob Dickie and David Ray.

Bath City failed to beat a determined Bishop Stortford side at home on Tuesday night; going down 1-0. Only 303 hard core Romans came out to watch their team for this latest home game. Bailey-Dennis got the deciding goal inside the first six minutes of the second half who pounced on a failed clearance to finish into an empty net. However Stortford’s goal scorer was sent off for a second yellow card offence on the 62nd minute. Despite the introduction on MOTM Ross Stearn in the second half Stortford looked comfortable for the vital win to move them up the table.

Results:

Tuesday 17th March 2015

Basingstoke Town 2-1 Weston-Super-Mare
Bath City 0-1 Bishop’s Stortford
Bromley 5-0 Farnborough
Hayes & Yeading 0-0 Staines Town

Monday 16th March 2015

Wealdstone 3-0 Gosport Borough

Saturday 14th March 2015

Bath City 1-1 Concord Rangers
Bishop’s Stortford 0-0 Sutton United
Boreham Wood 2-2 Whitehawk
Ebbsfleet 1-0 Maidenhead United
Gosport Borough 0-1 Chelmsford City
Havant & Waterlooville 3-1 Wealdstone
Hayes & Yeading 2-0 Farnborough
Hemel Hempstead Town 1-1 Bromley
St Albans City 2-0 Weston-Super-Mare
Staines Town 0-1 Eastbourne Borough

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