Blue Square Premier round-up

by setanta.com staff , 28 March 2009

Burton reinforced their position at the head of the Blue Square Premier with a 4-0 win over struggling Grays.

Lee Morris was the key man for The Brewers, helping himself to a brace, while John McGrath and Keith Gilroy were also on target.

Burton 4 Grays 0

Burton took another step closer to promotion to the Football League as they hammered struggling Grays at The Pirelli Stadium.

In-form Lee Morris broke the deadlock for the Brewers after just 90 seconds when he latched onto Darren Stride’s throughball.

And John McGrath all but put the game beyond doubt for Roy McFarland’s side after just 15 minutes when he fired past Rob Beckwith and into the top corner.

Grays – who are now being managed by chairman Mick Woodward for the third time – struggled to get out of their own half and Morris wrapped up the win on 22 minutes before Keith Gilroy notched a fourth late on.

Histon 1 Wrexham 0

Josh Simpson’s eighth goal of the season all but ended Wrexham’s chances of reaching the play-offs as Histon cemented their place in the top five.

Wrexham dominated the first half but Simpson ensured The Stutes held the lead at half time as he headed home Gareth Gwillim’s free kick.

It was more of the same for Wrexham after the break and Darren Kempson should have grabbed an equaliser in the dying minutes.

Jack Midson could have doubled Histon’s lead from the spot in stoppage time after Aurelien Collin had brought down by Nathaniel Knight-Percival but Gunnar Neilsen saved the penalty.

Forest Green 4 Lewes 1

Andy Mangan bagged a hat trick on his return from suspension to boost Forest Green’s chances of survival against relegated Lewes.

Joe Keehan – son of former Rooks boss Kevin – opened the scoring for Lewes after just five minutes but Rovers were soon level when Mangan levelled from the spot after Anthony Barness had been red carded for a foul on the front man.

And Jim Harvey’s men made the most of their numerical advantage in the 34th minute when Lee Ayres headed home Conal Platt’s cross.

Mangan then sealed the victory just after the hour mark when he tapped home from close range before netting a late fourth for Rovers while Stefan Cox was also red carded for Lewes.

Stevenage 1 Oxford 1

Ten-man Oxford came from a goal down to move above Stevenage in the race for a play-off place.

It was advantage Stevenage on the half hour mark as Damien Batt was red carded for a late tackle on Mitchell Cole.

And it got even worse for The U’s shortly after the half-time interval when David Bridge headed home Steve Morison’s centre.

But James Constable held his nerve to blast home a 67th minute penalty for Oxford after Ronnie Henry had fouled Adam Chapman.

York 0 Kidderminster 0

Kidderminster clung on to the final play-off position after a bore-draw at struggling York City.

Keeper Adam Bartlett was forced to make a point-blank save in the 91st minute to rescue a point for Mark Yates’ men, thwarting Simon Brown.

Matthew Barnes-Homer should have opened the scoring for Kidderminster after just nine minute but his effort rattled off the post.

Onome Sodje wasted The Minstermen’s best effort when he fired high over the crossbar.

Kettering 2 Ebbsfleet 1

On-loan Peterborough striker Ben Wright’s double kept Kettering’s play-off hopes alive as they saw off struggling Ebbsfleet.

Fleet grabbed the lead in the fifth minute when on-loan Gillingham striker Luis Cumbers tapped in Derek Duncan’s cross.

But The Poppies were level in the 22nd minute as Jean-Paul Marna played in Wright to slam past Lance Cronin.

Wright had a second ten minutes after the restart when he latched onto Gareth Seddon’s flick and fired beyond Cronin from the edge of the box.

Mansfield 1 Torquay 1

Debutant Blair Sturrock grabbed a second-half equaliser to earn high-flying Torquay a point at Mansfield.

Stags midfielder Neil MacKenzie tested Scott Bevan in the opening half hour from distance before they finally went in front on 36 minutes.

Former Oxford striker Robert Duffy was left in acres of space to convert Louis Briscoe’s cross from close range.

The Gulls hit back with Kevin Nicholson firing wide before Sturrock levelled in the 63rd minute from the edge of the box and that’s the way it stayed.

Northwich 4 Rushden 2

Midfielder Joel Byrom bagged a hat-trick to earn Andy Preece his first win since he took charge of The Vics.

Vics went in front in the 13th minute when Byrom rose to head in Luke Joyce’s cross past Dale Roberts.

Diamonds were reduced to ten men before the break when Michael Corcoran was sent off for a dreadful tackle on Luke Horrocks and they looked out of it when Byrom converted Matt Crowell’s cross.

But The Diamonds hit back immediately with Michael Rankine scoring from the spot before Robert Wolleaston equalised with a stunning shot from the edge of the box.

Byrom completed his haul in the 66th minute with another cool finish before Joyce sealed the win 19 minutes from time after good work from Johnny Allan.

Salisbury 2 Eastbourne Borough 0

Second-half goals from Brian Dutton and Charles Ademeno lifted in-form Salisbury above Eastbourne Borough in the table.

Chances were few and far between before the break with Boro keeper Lee Hook saving from Sam Pearce and Charlie Griffin.

The Whites finally made the breakthrough 20 minutes from time when Dutton rose to meet Sean Clohessy’s cross and headed past James Bittner.

And the win, which made it ten games unbeaten for City, was sealed a minute from time when on-loan Southend striker Ademeno broke clear and fired past Bittner.

Altrincham 2 Crawley 2

Glenn Wilson’s 88th minute strike stole a point for Crawley in a thrilling clash with Altrincham at Moss Lane.

After a tight opening the home side went in front in the 26th minute when on-loan Altrincham midfielder Michael Welch fired home from 25-yards.

But the lead lasted just four minutes with Isaiah Rankin sliding home from close range after good work from Robbie Matthews.

Alty then regained the lead ten minutes after the restart when Shaun Densmore hammered a shot past Simon Rayner from ten yards.

But The Red Devils refused to buckle with Rankin denied his second by Stuart Coburn before Wilson snatched a point after a goalmouth scramble.

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Pos
Team P W D L GD PTS
1.
Arsenal
0
0
0
0
0
0
2.
Aston Villa
0
0
0
0
0
0
3.
Birmingham
0
0
0
0
0
0
4.
Blackburn
0
0
0
0
0
0
5.
Bolton
0
0
0
0
0
0
6.
Burnley
0
0
0
0
0
0
7.
Chelsea
0
0
0
0
0
0
8.
Everton
0
0
0
0
0
0
9.
Fulham
0
0
0
0
0
0
10.
Hull
0
0
0
0
0
0
11.
Liverpool
0
0
0
0
0
0
12.
Man City
0
0
0
0
0
0
13.
Man Utd
0
0
0
0
0
0
14.
Portsmouth
0
0
0
0
0
0
15.
Stoke
0
0
0
0
0
0
16.
Sunderland
0
0
0
0
0
0
17.
Tottenham
0
0
0
0
0
0
18.
West Ham
0
0
0
0
0
0
19.
Wigan
0
0
0
0
0
0
20.
Wolverhampton
0
0
0
0
0
0
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