Saturday 10th January
PREMIER DIVISION
Faversham Strike Force 2-5 Corinthian
Hollands & Blair 1-2 Sutton Athletic
Holmesdale 2-2 Erith & Belvedere
Hythe Town 3-3 Punjab United
Rusthall 3-1 Kennington
Snodland Town 0-0 Fisher
Stansfeld 1-2 Whitstable Town
Tunbridge Wells P-P Phoenix Sports
Storm Goretti only managed to wipe out one Premier Division fixture, but the rest of the programme more than made up for it, delivering goals, late drama and a few league-shaping moments.
Whitstable Town took another big stride towards the title with a late, late turnaround at Stansfeld. The hosts stunned the league leaders after just two minutes when Glen Bain struck, and for a long time it looked like that early goal might be enough. But five minutes from time Stansfeld were reduced to ten men and Whitstable ruthlessly cashed in. Javaun Splatt levelled on 88 minutes before Bradley Schafer completed the comeback in stoppage time. It’s now 14 unbeaten in the league and an 11-point cushion at the top — perfect momentum ahead of their FA Vase defence next weekend.
Rusthall remain third and kept their unbeaten home record intact with a 3–1 win over Kennington. Louie Clarke struck early before Charlie Clover took centre stage with a second-half brace. Ryan Philpott grabbed a late consolation for Kennington, but Rusthall, with games in hand on those around them, continue to loom large in the promotion race.
Sutton Athletic moved into the play-off places after ending Hollands & Blair’s six-game winning run. Omotunmise Akanni and Conor Evans both found the net inside the opening 26 minutes to put Sutton in control, with Dieko Falade pulling one back just before the break. Blair pushed, but Sutton held firm for a valuable away win.
Corinthian pulled clear of the relegation scrap with an emphatic 5–2 victory against Faversham Strike Force. Goals from Tom Mitcham, Caleb Afoke and Jack Billings set the tone, with an own goal and a late Akshar Santhosh strike completing the scoring. Strike Force replied through Alex Willis and a stoppage-time effort from Mefose Esumobi, but they remain uncomfortably close to the bottom two.
The remaining fixtures all finished level, though there was no shortage of drama.
Hythe Town and Punjab United served up a six-goal thriller. Taurean Roberts (pen), Steadman Callender and Mo Kamara scored for Hythe, but Punjab responded in style through Jack Hopkins, Jordan Campbell and Anthony Adesite in a frantic spell just after the hour. Hythe stay rooted to the bottom, while Punjab sit seventh, just a point off the top five.
Holmesdale and Erith & Belvedere shared the points in a 2–2 draw. Lewis Heywood-Oriogun and a last-gasp Deandre Williams goal earned Dale a point after efforts from Ronnie McClean and Alfie Morgan had twice put the Deres ahead.
There were no goals at Snodland Town, where a 0–0 draw with Fisher keeps both sides locked together on 31 points and just inside the top half.
The only casualty of the weather was Tunbridge Wells v Phoenix Sports, which fell foul of the recent storm and will be rearranged.
Plenty played, plenty happened — and at the top, Whitstable just keep on rolling.