Pitchero Non League

....season's final day produced an average of five goals each.

It was also much ado about nothing for, apart from two swaps of mid-table places, everyone ended up precisely where they had been at kick-off time. That means that Wednesday’s play-off semi-finals will be AFC Hornchurch v Bury Town and Lowestoft Town v Wealdstone.

Lowestoft needed a victory at champions Billericay Town to have a chance of the runners-up spot and they achieved it in style, winning 4-1 in front of a New Lodge crowd of 1,145.

An early exchange of goals saw Michael Frew put the Trawlerboys ahead only for Dale Cockrill’s headed own goal to level it.

Lubo Guentchev’s long-range shot restored Lowestoft’s advantage just before the half-hour, Cockrill reset his sights to make it 3-1 in the 58th minute and Frew broke clear to add his second.

It was all in vain; Hornchurch – the only other team to win at New Lodge this season - held on to second place on goal difference, three points behind the champions, with a 2-1 home win over relegated Leatherhead.

Carl Rook, making his first start for Urchins, put them ahead after 19 minutes. Although sure to finish 19th, Tanners needed points to give them a better record than the sides finishing in that position in the Southern and Northern Premier Leagues in case there are reprieves available in the summer.

Greg Andrews gave them hope when he equalised two minutes before half-time but Leon McKenzie restored the Hornchurch lead immediately after the restart and that was enough, leaving Tanners third in line for any vacancy that may arise at this level.

Wealdstone’s fine end-of-season run continued with a 3-1 victory over Concord Rangers which sealed fourth place and a trip to Lowestoft on Wednesday.

It took Alex Dyer less than 25 seconds to put them ahead but Steve King levelled matters with a looping header in the 11th minute.

It was, inevitably, Richard Jolly who restored Stones’ lead with his 48th goal of the season and his 32nd in the league, clinching the `golden boot` – though only just. Scott Fitzgerald made sure with 13 minutes left.

Bury pair John Sands and Billy Clark both hit hat-tricks in a 7-1 romp at Tooting & Mitcham United which made sure that two Suffolk clubs will be involved in the play-offs.

The Terrors terrified few opponents this season, conceding 116 goals on their way back to Ryman South.

Sands started the rout with two goals in 3 minutes, the 18th and 20th, and Clark went one better with two in two minutes just after Hassan Ibrahim had fired home from long range for the home side on the half-hour.

It was three for Sands after an hour and three for Clark 12 minutes later, this one a penalty, before Kieron Leabon nodded in the seventh.

A crowd of 1,038 turned up at the Dripping Pan to see whether Lewes could make the play-offs and they watched a 4-2 home win over Harrow Borough.

But the Rooks needed Bury or Wealdstone to slip, and so they remained in sixth place.

Jon-Jo Bates put Harrow ahead in the 2nd minute but Lewes responded with headed goals from Paul Booth and Chris Breach before half-time and another soon after it from Nathan Crabb. Booth made it 4-1 with a penalty and Danny Leech notched Harrow’s second.

Hendon needed a big win to have any chance of making the play-offs and they certainly got it, matching Bury with a 7-1 victory at another relegated club, Aveley. But it was all in vain and they stayed in seventh place.

The only goal of the first half was a penalty by Greg Ngoyi in the 36th minute, awarded by Nolan Wilde. He was then injured and assistant Paul Howard took over the whistle, awarding a penalty of his own after 50 minutes which Scott Shulton converted.

The floodgates then opened as Isaiah Rankin fired a 7 minute hat-trick and Elliott Charles made it 6-0 by the midpoint of the half.

Kayan Kalipha missed a penalty for Aveley but Liam Thomas did pull one back before Elliott Godfrey notched Hendon’s seventh in added time.

They were the only games to affect the significant positions, but East Thurrock United’s 5-2 win at Kingstonian lifted them above their hosts into tenth place and also featured a valiant effort by Sam Higgins to land the Golden Boot.

Starting the day three goals behind Jolly, Higgins scored twice in the first half, after Bobby Traynor had put K’s ahead. Ben Wood and Kye Ruel made it 4-1 after the break.

Traynor, the top scorer in his division for the past three seasons, has not contended this time but he reduced the arrears with his 17th league goal. Higgins completed his hat-trick with 7 minutes left, his 40th goal in all competitions, but by then Jolly had taken his haul to 32 and Higgins could not score a fourth to match him.

Canvey Island also scored five, in their case with no reply from visiting Margate - a fine send-off for defender Steve Ward, playing the last game of his twelve-year stay with the islanders.

Kevin Dobinson put them ahead after 3 minutes and it was 3-0 by half-time thanks to Rob King and Jason Hallett. Dobinson scored again after 73 minutes and Steve Sheehan completed the rout.

Wingate & Finchley were the only other side to move up the table, taking over thirteenth place from Concord with a 2-1 home win over Carshalton Athletic.

Tony Burke gave them a half-time lead, Paul Vines equalised from the spot and Leon Smith settled it with a late solo effort.

It was a satisfactory Premier debut campaign for Wingate, as it was for Metropolitan Police, who finished twelfth after their 2-0 win at Hastings United. Mu Maan and Staforde Palmer scored midway through the second half.

Cray Wanderers gave a rare start to Michael Power and he rewarded them with two goals in the first 10 minutes against bottom club Horsham.

A massacre threatened, but it was the 85th minute before Tony Dolby scored the third goal and Horsham’s six-year stay in the Premier ended on a cheerful note as Wayne Clarke fired home from long range in the last minute to make it 3-1.

Tags: News | The Ryman Football League Premier Division

• The Ryman Football League
• Premier Division
  • + Medlock Glad to Re-Unite With Colbran
  • + Reed Aims to Get Back to His Best
  • + Tilson Happy With What He`s Seen
  • + Saker Becomes a Trawlerboy
  • + Banks Reckons He`s Joined Best Team
  • + Gate Shop Refurbished
  • + Bury Look for Conference Level Recruits
• Division One North
  • + Two More for Mead
  • + Two More Join Blues
  • + Tracey Promotes Young Prospect
  • + Four Sign - One Leaves Hawks
• Division One South
  • + Tompkins Brings in Former Team-Mate
  • + Ward Rewards Academy Boys
  • + Maggs Adds Two for Downers
  • + Hinshelwood Set to Debut for Hillians
  • + International Football at Champion Hill
  • + Colbran Left Unimpressed
  • + Halsey More Concerned with Performances
  • + Town Get Bonus When Re-Signing Crabb
  • + Tanners Lose Dean