Tuesday's Vanarama National League South Round-Up

By Steve Whitney

Dartford remain top of the Vanarama National League South on Tuesday night, despite only managing a draw with Wealdstone at Princes Park.

That`s because second-placed Braintree Town and third-placed Truro City also couldn`t be separated at the Avanti Stadium.

So the Darts maintain top spot on goal difference after twice coming back from being behind, beginning with an early 5th minute Abobaker Eisa opener for the Stones.

Alfie Pavey responded within 2 minute to pull the home side back on level terms, but Daniel Green restored Wealdstone`s lead in the 13th minute.

And they held that lead until the 69th minute when Pavey bagged his second to pull Tony Burman`s side back on terms.

And then sub Andy Pugh fired the hosts ahead with 10 minutes left.

But Green converted a penalty 3 minutes from time before Darts' Lee Noble was shown a straight red card in stoppage time.

Truro put in another impressive defensive display as they made the long journey home from Essex with a point from a 1-1 draw.

It was an evenly-matched affair, but Truro were handed the lead after 36 minutes when some sloppy defensive play was seized upon by Cody Cooke who found the net for his 9th goal of the season.

The home side came fast out of the blocks in the second half and White Tigers` keeper Tom McHale saved well early on before some good play out wide by Phil Roberts ended with Roman Michael-Percil finding the net to equalise with 49 minutes gone on the clock.

Neither side were able to find a winner as both looked to end Tuesday night on top of the table.

Havant & Waterlooville are fourth, but they too were held to a home stalemate by the team immediately below them in the table, Chelmsford City.

The Hawks seem to have problems winning at Westleigh Park this season, and it`s their away form that is keeping them up amongst the leading pack.

Lee Bradbury’s side took a 26th minute lead with a strike from top scorer Jason Prior.

They looked as though this time they were going to record three home points - until they let victory slip through their grasp in stoppage time when Michael Spillane pulled the Clarets back on level terms.

East Thurrock United moved up to tenth in the table after inflicting a second successive defeat on Gloucester City at Ship Lane.

The Tigers dominated the first half and the start of the second without managing to trouble the scorers.

In contrast, the Rocks had threatened little in attack, but managed to break the deadlock just before the hour-mark with a goal that knocked the stuffing out of Gloucester when Reece Harris receives a throw-in on the edge of the area, took a touch inside before rifling into the top corner.

And then East Thurrock killed the game off with two goals in quick succession from Lee Burns after 76 minutes and Sam Higgins 2 minutes later.

Tuesday`s other game saw strugglers Bognor Regis Town and Oxford City meet at Nyewood Lane.

And the sides cancelled each other out in a goalless affair in which Rocks` keeper Dan Lincoln made two superb late saves to deny Zac McEachran before tipping Ezra Forde's deflected effort over the bar.

City`s Matt Paterson also struck a post and the point took the Hoops clear of the relegation zone for the first time since October.

Where next?

New Dates Decided As FA Cup Moves Into View Following our clubs’ progress in the FA Cup in the first round, a number of fixtures have been re-arranged.
Tuesday's Vanarama National League North Round-Up North Ferriby United remained rooted to the bottom of the Vanarama National League North table after the Villagers suffered a comprehensive 4-0 defeat at Aggborough against a Kidderminster Harriers side who moved up to eighth in the table.