Evo-Stik South East Title Race Wide Open

The title race in the Evo-Stik League South East took another twist on Saturday after the top two failed to win and third-placed Beaconsfield Town hit seven against all-but doomed Arlesey Town.

AFC Rushden & Diamonds` lead at the top is just a point after they failed to take full advantage of second-placed Hayes & Yeading United`s defeat at Aylesbury United.

Diamonds drew 1-1 at Chestnut Avenue against lower mid-table Northwood, whose Evans Kouassi opened the scoring on the half-hour mark.

Joel Gyasi equalised 5 minutes after the break, but the visitors, whose fans boosted the crowd to over 300, couldn`t find a winner.

And a penalty converted by Ollie Hogg gave the Ducks victory at Chesham against Hayes & Yeading.

Beaconsfield took the number of goals conceded by bottom-markers Arlesey to 102 with a 7-0 demolition job at Holloways Park – the Bedfordshire side`s second consecutive seven-goal loss and the 20th goal conceded in three games!

However, it was only 2-0 with goals from Tony Mendy and Andre Costa when the visitors went down to ten-men 15 minutes from time for which Lee Barney added the third from the resulting penalty.

Barney went on to complete his hat-trick against the ten-men with Bajram Pashaj and Wes Daly adding the others.

The others in the top six looks like being occupied by Hartley Wintney, AFC Dunstable and Cambridge City after seventh-placed Chalfont St Peter could only draw 1-1 at Short Lane against Ashford Town (Middx), for whom Scott Weight`s 22nd minute opener was cancelled out by Louis Stead after 36 minutes.

Cambridge beat Hartley Wintney 4-1 at St Ives with James Hall bagging a brace either side of Jordan Williams and Ryan Sharman efforts – Jake Baxter replying.

AFC Dunstable were held to a 0-0 draw at the Runnymede Stadium by Egham Town.

Bedford Town maintained their outside hopes alive with a 3-2 New Eyrie win over Marlow in which Bradley Woods-Garness bagged a brace, with veteran Paul Benson adding the third after Kelvin Bossman and Tommy Hull had pulled Marlow level.

Elsewhere, Goldy Capela scored twice for Hanwell Town at home to Moneyfields but it was only enough for a 3-3 draw as the visitors scored twice in the final 4 minutes through Brett Poate – at the right end after he`d scored an own goal earlier – and Joe Briggs.

Top marksman Dan West helped himself to a hat-trick as Thame United inflicted a 5-1 home drubbing on Uxbridge at Honeycroft – Lynton Goss and Luke Ricketts adding the others – all after Kevin Warner`s 21st minute opener led at the break.

A Michael Gyasi goal 6 minutes into the second half sealed second-bottom Barton Rovers sixth win of the season at Sharpenhoe Road against the team immediately above them, Fleet Town, while a Jordan Rogers own goal and Robbie Goodman gave Kempston Rovers a 2-0 Hillgrounds win over Aylesbury FC.

Source Pitchero Non League