Saturday`s Blue Square Bet South Review

The only issues to solve in Blue Square Bet South on the final day of the season were who accompanied Farnborough...

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Published 30th April 2011

....into the play-offs and who went down with Lewes and St Albans City.

The scenario at the top end before kick-off was that Chelmsford City headed into their last game knowing a win would be enough to climb to fourth place above either Ebbsfleet United or Woking, who played each other.

Looking over their shoulder, Welling United and Dover Athletic could have overtaken Chelmsford into fifth if they slipped-up, with Welling just two points behind and Dover three adrift. A point or a loss could even have been sufficient for Chelmsford or Woking if results elsewhere went their way.

It all ended with the play-offs seeing Farnborough entertain Woking at Cherrywood Road and Ebbsfleet take on Chelmsford at Stonebridge Road.

Chelmsford beat lowly Hampton & Richmond Borough 3-1 at Melbourne Park in front of a crowd of 1,178.

Wayne Gray gave the Clarets the lead on the half-hour mark and doubled it from the penalty spot 7 minutes after half-time.

Billy Witham reduced the deficit on the hour-mark, but John Martin made sure when he notched City`s third a minute from time.

The game at Stonebridge Road, conveniently, ended 1-1 in front of 1,724.

Elvis Hammond put the Cards in front after 14 minutes and Fleet`s equaliser came from the spot, courtesy of Ashley Carew on 52 minutes.

Both Welling and Dover did what they could by both winning, but the fact that Chelmsford and Woking got results, made it irrelevant in the end.

The Wings beat Basingstoke Town 4-0 at Park View Road with goals from Luis Cumbers on 15 minutes, Ben Martin after 23 and Jack Obersteller 8 minutes later – Jamie Coyle finishing things off with a fourth 5 minutes from time.

Dover beat relegated St Albans 4-1 at Crabble with Nathan Ashton opening the scoring after 22 minutes, top scorer Adam Birchall immediately making it 2-0 a minute later and Donovan Simmons 4 minutes before half-time and Birchall again 0n 65 minutes completing the scoring, with Peter Smith having netted a 53rd minute consolation for the Saints.

At the opposite end of the table, Thurrock simply had to beat second-placed Farnborough and hope Maidenhead United lost at home to Dartford.

Well, the latter did happen as Charlie Sheringham broke the deadlock by giving the Darts a 53rd minute lead at York Road and then Jack Pallen doubling their lead on 68 minutes.

Tommy Hayes made it surely game over when he scored Dartford`s third 4 minutes later, but a stunning comeback saw Craig Faulconbridge on 79 minutes and Jefferson Louis 4 minutes from time pull two back for the Magpies, but they were unable to find an equaliser.

All Thurrock had to do was beat Farnborough by two clear goals then! But sadly for the Essex outfit a brave performance wasn`t quite enough and they mirrored Maidenhead`s result.

Bradley Bubb aftyer 7 minutes and Michael Malcolm 8 minutes later had Boro two-up before Paul Olima reduced the arrears just after half-time.

Bubb scored his second and Boro`s third just past the hour-mark, but all Thurrock could muster in reply was a Jamie Richards goal in the 69th minute, leaving them still three points behind Maidenhead, level on goal difference.

Elsewhere pride was at stake, and Bishop`s Stortford finished off well with a 2-1 home win over fellow strugglers Dorchester Town, with Michale Bakare giving them the boost of an early 2nd minute lead.

Dean Rance doubled their advantage with 15 minutes to go, Chris Flood pulling one back 6 minutes later.

Boreham Wood ended Lewes` tenure in the Conference for now with a 3-0 Meadow Park victory, thanks to Gareth Risbridger right on half-time, Luke Wilkinson on 68 minutes and Luke Garrard 3 minutes later.

Peter Adeniyi put Eastleigh in front after 39 minutes at Hayes Lane against Bromley, and just 3 minutes later Anthony Riviere made it 2-0, and that`s how it remained, while champions Braintree Town were unable to bow out with a win, going down to a 2-1 defeat on the coast at Weston-super-Mare, for whom Sahr Kabba right on half-time and Jamie Price on 78 minutes won it after Kevin Gallen had levelled for the Iron on 53 minutes.

And Havant & Waterlooville and Staines Town finished with a 1-1 Westleigh Park draw in which Manny Williams gave the Hawks a 24th minute lead that youngster Andrew Quiassaca cancelled out with 17 minutes remaining.