Saturday September 5
SATURDAY 5th SEPTEMBER
Banstead Athletic 1-1 Lydd Town
Croydon 1-1 Sheppey Sports
FC Elmstead 2-0 Rochester United
Greenways 0-1 Hythe Town
Halls 3-2 Bridon Ropes
Lewisham Borough 0-1 Lordswood
SC Thamesmead 1-4 Minster
Staplehurst Monarchs 0-0 Stansfeld
Welling Town 1-1 Tooting Bec
Lordswood are the new leaders of the SCEFL First Division after a dramatic Saturday which saw FC Elmstead shock Rochester United, Hythe Town maintain their perfect record and Minster hit four at SC Thamesmead.
The biggest surprise came at Longmead Stadium, where FC Elmstead claimed their first league victory of the season with a 2-0 win over leaders Rochester United.
Elmstead started the afternoon bottom of the table but were ahead after just 14 minutes through Jamie Fearn. Rochester were unable to find a response and Frankie Driscoll doubled the advantage in the 61st minute to secure an impressive victory for the hosts.
It continues a remarkable change in fortunes for Rochester. Four straight victories opened their season, but a defeat at Lewisham followed by Monday’s goalless draw with Lordswood and now defeat at Elmstead means they have collected just one point from their last three matches.
Taking full advantage were Lordswood, who moved to the top with a 1-0 victory at Lewisham Borough.
The visitors were given an early numerical advantage when Chuk Nwobani-Akano was sent off after just seven minutes, and Lordswood made it count when Harvey Welford scored in the 28th minute.
That proved to be the only goal and takes Lordswood onto 13 points, above Rochester on goal difference.
Croydon remain unbeaten, although they had to come from behind to earn a 1-1 draw against Sheppey Sports in front of 152 at the Arena.
Jack Marsh put Sheppey ahead in the 34th minute, giving the visitors a half-time lead, before Ali Fofahan levelled for Croydon after 64 minutes.
Sheppey finished the game with ten men following Emmanuel Adebowale’s stoppage-time dismissal, but held on for a point. Croydon move onto 12 points and remain just one behind the leading pair.
Also on 12 points – but having played only four matches – are Hythe Town, who maintained their perfect league record with a late 1-0 victory at Greenways.
The game looked to be heading for a goalless draw until Greenways’ Simon Walton was sin-binned in the 84th minute. A minute later, Jake Embery converted a penalty to give Hythe all three points.
The Cannons have now won four league games from four, scoring nine and conceding just twice. With games in hand on everyone above them, their perfect start is becoming increasingly significant.
One of the afternoon’s most eye-catching results came at the Masher Brothers Community Stadium, where Minster beat SC Thamesmead 4-1.
Thamesmead had entered the game on the back of consecutive victories in which they scored nine goals without reply, but Minster took control during an outstanding opening 24 minutes.
Tom Coyne opened the scoring after 15 minutes, before Fin Waddell converted a 23rd-minute penalty and struck again just a minute later to make it 3-0.
Patrick Geddis pulled one back for Thamesmead in the 63rd minute, but Todd Jordan added Minster’s fourth in the 82nd to complete an excellent away victory.
There was also a first league win of the season for Halls AFC, who edged an entertaining contest with Bridon Ropes 3-2 at Princes Park.
Sam Bayford put Halls ahead after 16 minutes, only for Theo Hayford to equalise seven minutes later. Stephen Gbopo restored the Halls advantage in the 38th minute, before Bridon’s Abdulai Turay levelled again on 43.
The decisive moment arrived in first-half stoppage time when Frankie White made it 3-2, remarkably completing all five goals before the interval.
There was further drama later as Bridon’s Ryan Crowder was sent off in the 71st minute, while Halls substitute Troy Copeland was dismissed deep into stoppage time.
At Banstead, Banstead Athletic and Lydd Town shared the points in a 1-1 draw.
Charlie Gill gave Lydd the lead after 36 minutes, but Banstead responded shortly after the interval through Oliver Tully in the 47th minute. Neither side could find a winner, leaving Lydd on seven points and Banstead on four.
There were no goals between Staplehurst Monarchs and Stansfeld, who drew 0-0 at Jubilee Sports Field.
The point takes Staplehurst onto ten from five matches, while Stansfeld move onto eight and extend their unbeaten run to three following their two Bank Holiday victories.
The final game also finished level as Welling Town and Tooting Bec drew 1-1.
Both goals came from the penalty spot. Ryan Golding converted for Welling in the 69th minute, on his return to the Club, but their advantage lasted only six minutes before Seye Okunlola equalised with another penalty for Tooting.
The results leave a new name at the top of the table.
Lordswood lead the First Division on 13 points, ahead of Rochester on goal difference, but the picture immediately behind them is particularly interesting. Croydon and Hythe Town both have 12 points, with Croydon still unbeaten after six matches and Hythe boasting the Division’s only perfect record after four wins from four.
SC Thamesmead, Lewisham Borough and Staplehurst are all on ten points, meaning just three points separate the top seven.
At the other end, Elmstead’s victory means every First Division club has now recorded at least one league win this season, while Sheppey Sports drop to the foot of an already tightly packed table.
There may be new leaders, but with unbeaten Croydon close behind and perfect Hythe holding games in hand, the early promotion picture remains wide open.