Step 3 roundup: Folkestone Invicta’s crowning glory as Hebburn Town go top

By Etienne Jones

As the footballing calendar comes to an end, many teams and players across the country will be playing out of their skin to determine which league they could be playing in next season.

On a bank holiday weekend of football all around the country, the Non-League Paper looks at all the important games from Step 3 of the pyramid.

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Northern Premier League Premier Division

Hebburn Town secured a 1-0 victory over sixth-place Stockton Town to secure a play-off spot, alongside returning to the top of the table on goal difference.

Gary Martin’s strike on 24 minutes saw no reply from the away side, with Stockton falling out of the play-off places because of Gainsborough Trinity defeating Guiseley 3-1.

Hebburn are joined in the play-off places by Hednesford Town, who left it late to secure a vital three points against third-placed FC United of Manchester.

A strike five minutes from time by Jake Jervis and a 92nd-minute penalty from Omari Sterling-James cancelled out a first-half opener from Matt Grivosti, meaning the Pitmen draw level with Hebburn on points, separated only by goal difference.

Elsewhere in the division, Warrington Rylands secured bragging rights over neighbours Warrington Town, as Ben Hardcastle scored the only goal of the game for a 1-0 victory.

Lancaster City couldn’t find a winner against Bamber Bridge to lower the gap between the Dolly Blues and the play-off places, with the game finishing 1-1.

At the bottom of the table, Morpeth Town strengthened their survival bid with a 3-0 victory over Whitby Town, whilst Workington could only manage a 1-1 draw at Cleethorpes Town despite having a man advantage for an hour.

Hyde United and Rushall Olympic also secured wins to stay ahead of the drop.

Ben Kershaw’s penalty was the only goal in Hyde’s victory over neighbours Ashton United, whilst a red card for both sides didn’t stop Rushall defeating Ilkeston Town 2-0.

Leek Town won their third game in a row to defeat Stockbridge Park Steels.

Isthmian League Premier Division

Folkestone Invicta have already secured their place in the step above, but an entertaining 3-2 victory over Ramsgate saw the Stripes lift the trophy.

A Jake Hutchinson double, followed up by Nathan Paul-Lavaly’s winner 73 minutes in, cancelled out Ramsgate’s early opener and equaliser, meaning it is impossible for anyone to catch the rampant Stripes.

Whilst Aveley can no longer be the victors, they condemned tenants Hashtag United to a 3-1 defeat, with a Jesse Nwabueze double sealing the Millers’ second-place position.

Billericay Town won their fifth game in a row in a 3-2 win over Canvey Island to remain third, meaning the Islanders have had their relegation from the division confirmed, whilst Brentwood Town overturned Welling United 2-0.

Chatham Town were this week’s biggest losers in the play-off race with a 3-2 away defeat to Dartford. This means the Chats drop to fifth place, just two points away from their opponents.

Near the rear of the table, the bottom six all lost as teams further up strengthened their survival bid.

Potters Bar Town now sit nine points from safety with a game in hand, after a 4-1 defeat at Cheshunt, whilst Cray Valley Paper Mills were defeated 2-1 by rivals Cray Wanderers.

Both Lewes and Wingate & Finchley extended their gap to the drop, with 3-0 and 2-0 wins over Whitehawk and St Albans City.

Carlshalton Athletic must look over their shoulder as they were defeated 2-1 by Dulwich Hamlet.

Elsewhere, Burgess Hull Town kept their glimmer of play-off hope alive with a collected 2-0 win over Chichester City.

Southern Premier Division Central

Harborough Town have all but secured promotion to the step above, with an emphatic 5-1 victory over Banbury United keeping their gap at the top to seven points.

Despite Luke Stokoe handing the away side a 24th-minute lead, five goals with no reply showed the authority the Bees had in this fixture.

Second-placed Spalding United handed 20th-placed Barwell their eighth defeat in a row, with Ben Fowkes and Yusifu Ceesay’s first-half efforts securing a 2-0 win.

Real Bedford put themselves seven points in the play-off places, with a 4-0 rout over Bishop’s Stortford.

Halesowen Town continue to give chase in fourth, leapfrogging Kettering Town and Redditch United with a 2-0 win over Bromsgrove Sporting.

Stamford AFC shocked nine-man Quorn as the home side looked to edge themselves further from relegation trouble, with a 1-0 win pushing Stamford two points from the drop.

Redditch lost 3-1 to Worcester, and Kettering Town dropped points in a 2-0 defeat to Stratford Town.

At the bottom of the league, both AFC Sudbury and Royston Town had their relegations confirmed.

AFC Sudbury saw a Luke Ingram hat-trick hand Needham Market a 3-1 result, whilst Reuben Rabstein was dismissed for Royston as St. Ives Town ran out 2-0 winners.

As a result, the Saints push themselves to within one point of safety.

Elsewhere, three first-half finishes from Bury Town earned them a 3-1 away victory over Leiston, whilst Charlie Pavey’s penalty earnt Stourbridge a 1-1 draw against Alvechurch.

Southern Premier Division South

With five of the top six losing in the Southern Premier Division South, all eyes turned to Berkhamsted, who defeated Hungerford Town 4-1 to move past Sholing into the final play-off spot.

Four second-half goals from the Comrades secured their fifth win in a row, whilst a penalty for Basingstoke Town’s Oreofe Bello condemned 10-man Sholing to a 1-0 defeat.

The defeat for Hungerford leaves them 21st, six points from safety.

A brilliant win for Chertsey Town at league victors Walton & Hersham saw goals from Nathan Minhas and Luke Robertson put the away side to within two points of the playoffs, heating up an already exciting battle.

Second-placed Gloucester fell to a 2-0 defeat to Taunton Town, whilst third and fourth couldn’t lock down their play-off spots, Farnham Town losing 3-1 to Bracknell Town and Poole Town falling to a 2-1 defeat against Wimborne.

Taunton Town’s victory means they climb to within two points of safety, with Yate Town pushing for their own safety with a 3-0 victory over 18th placed Evesham United.

Dorchester Town couldn’t follow suit, as they failed to break the deadlock in a 0-0 draw with Weymouth.

Elsewhere, Alfy Whittingham’s hat-trick saw Havant & Waterlooville keep their slim play-off hopes alive with a 4-0 victory over Gosport Borough.

Goals on either side of the half for Uxbridge secured them a 2-0 win over Hanwell Town.

Bottom of the table Tiverton Town forced Plymouth Parkway to come back away from home, with an 80th-minute effort from Reece Thomson getting Parkway the three points.

Full results (Easter Monday – Step 3)

Northern Premier League Premier Division
Bamber Bridge 1-1 Lancaster City
FC United of Manchester 1-2 Hednesford Town
Gainsborough Trinity 2-1 Guiseley
Hebburn Town 1-0 Stockton Town
Hyde United 1-0 Ashton United
Morpeth Town 3-0 Whitby Town
Rushall Olympic 2-0 Ilkeston Town
Stocksbridge Park Steels 0-2 Leek Town
Warrington Town 0-1 Warrington Rylands
Workington AFC 1-1 Cleethorpes Town

Isthmian League Premier Division
Aveley 3-1 Hashtag United
Billericay Town 3-2 Canvey Island
Brentwood Town 2-0 Welling United
Cheshunt 4-1 Potters Bar Town
Chichester City 0-2 Burgess Hill Town
Cray Valley PM 1-2 Cray Wanderers
Dartford 3-2 Chatham Town
Dulwich Hamlet 2-1 Carshalton Athletic
Folkestone Invicta 3-2 Ramsgate
Lewes 3-0 Whitehawk
Wingate & Finchley 2-0 St Albans City

Southern League Premier Division Central
AFC Sudbury 1-3 Needham Market
Barwell 0-2 Spalding United
Bromsgrove Sporting 0-2 Halesowen Town
Harborough Town 5-1 Banbury United
Leiston 1-3 Bury Town
Real Bedford 4-0 Bishop’s Stortford
Royston Town 0-2 St Ives Town
Stamford 1-0 Quorn
Stourbridge 1-1 Alvechurch
Stratford Town 2-0 Kettering Town
Worcester City 3-1 Redditch United

Southern League Premier Division South
Basingstoke Town 1-0 Sholing
Berkhamsted 4-1 Hungerford Town
Farnham Town 1-3 Bracknell Town
Gloucester City 0-2 Taunton Town
Havant & Waterlooville 4-0 Gosport Borough
Poole Town 1-2 Wimborne Town
Tiverton Town 2-3 Plymouth Parkway
Uxbridge 2-0 Hanwell Town
Walton & Hersham 1-2 Chertsey Town
Weymouth 0-0 Dorchester Town
Yate Town 3-0 Evesham United

PICTURE: Jim Standen

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