Ryman League: Disappointment for Maidstone United but Folkestone Invicta are preparing for the play-offs while Thamesmead Town are relegated
09:00, 28 April 2014
Maidstone United missed out on the Ryman League Premier Division play-offs despite beating Grays Athletic 2-1 on the final day of the season.
Frannie Collin scored his 31st goal of the season after an own goal had given Maidstone the lead, but results elsewhere meant the Stones finished a disappointing seventh.
Thamesmead Town beat Bury Town 4-2 but it wasn't enough to save them from relegation. Robert Carter, Tyrus Gordon-Young and Shamir Mullings (2) scored for the Mead but they needed the sides above them to lose - and it didn't happen.
Rock-bottom Cray Wanderers finished 23 points adrift of safety after losing their last game 2-1 at home to Enfield, although Margate signed off the season with a 3-2 win at Hendon. Charlie Allen, Matt Bodkin and Luke Medley netted for Terry Brown's side.
Folkestone Invicta will entertain Hastings United in the Division 1 South play-off semi-final tomorrow night (Tuesday) after finishing second in the table.
Goals from Josh Vincent and Chris Elliott earned them a 2-2 draw away to Guernsey on Friday night and that result meant Neil Cugley's side would finish third. But a subsequent points deduction for second-placed Leatherhead promoted Invicta to the runners-up spot.
Folkestone's local rivals Hythe Town were the next best-placed Kent club after they recorded a second successive 6-0 win to finish eighth. Shaun Welford's second hat-trick in as many games took his season's total to a personal-best 38, with Louis Sprosen (2) and James Morrish netting the other Hythe goals at Reachfields.
Faversham Town ended up 10th after they signed off with a 4-2 defeat at Tooting & Mitcham. Danny Hockton and Aiden Sherlock got the goals for Ray Turner's side.
Two places below the Lilywhites were Ramsgate, who recorded an impressive 3-1 win over league champions Peacehaven & Telscombe. Tom Chapman scored two goals and Ian Pulman netted the other.
Sittingbourne denied Burgess Hill Town a play-off place by holding them to a 2-2 draw at Woodstock Park. Joe Taylor scored both goals for the 14th-placed Brickies.
It was a disappointing final day for Herne Bay, for whom Ben Brown's goal was in vain as they went down 2-1 at Three Bridges.
Whitstable Town's poor season finished on a high note as they won 3-0 at relegated Eastbourne Town. Ashley Miller helped himself to a hat-trick for the Oystermen, who ended up two places and eight points above the relegation zone.
The champagne corks were popping at VCD Athletic, who clinched the Division 1 North title with a 6-0 win at home to Romford. Ben Payne, Michael Power (3), Dean Carpenter and Bertie Brayley scored for the Vickers, who capitalised on a 1-1 draw for title rivals Witham Town.
But it was a bad day for the other two Kent clubs in the division.
Relegated Erith & Belvedere were thrashed 7-1 by Wroxham - meaning they finished 23 points adrift of safety - while Chatham Town lost to Needham Market by the same scoreline