Saturday 20th December
PREMIER DIVISION
Erith & Belvedere 2-3 Snodland Town
Fisher 5-0 Rusthall
Holmesdale 0-3 Larkfield & New Hythe
Hythe Town 0-0 Stansfeld
Kennington 1-1 Phoenix Sports
Punjab United 1-1 Bearsted
Sutton Athletic 1-1 Chislehurst Glebe
Tunbridge Wells P-P Faversham Strike Force
Whitstable Town 6-2 Corinthian
The final round of Premier Division fixtures before Christmas delivered exactly what you’d want under the tree: goals, drama, statement wins at the top and a few teams desperately wishing for a January reset.
At the summit, Whitstable Town will sit down to Christmas dinner as clear our Christmas Number One after dismantling Corinthian 6–2 at the Belmont. They wasted no time unwrapping their presents, Jack Nelson striking after just two minutes before Finn O’Mara doubled the lead. Bradley Schafer’s first just before the break all but settled matters, and although Corinthian briefly threatened through Ross Obazee and Keiran King, second-half goals from Malachai Belboda, Nathan Jeche and Schafer again sealed a dominant display. Now unbeaten in 11 league games, Whitstable look every inch the side to catch, while Corinthian remain in 16th.
Five points back in second, Larkfield & New Hythe ensured the pressure stays firmly on the leaders after a professional 3–0 win at Holmesdale. After a goalless first half, Jack Sammoutis broke the deadlock before Matt Day and Steven Famose added further gloss late on. It was a fifth straight defeat for Holmesdale, whose festive cheer has evaporated as they slide down to eighth.
The shock of the day came at St Paul’s, where Fisher tore fourth-placed Rusthall to shreds in a stunning 5–0 win. Tom Jones set the tone early on the green, green plastic grass of their St Pauls home, Festos Kamara helped himself to a brace, and further goals from Rafael Garcia and Lorenzo Duncan completed a ruthless afternoon. Fisher leap up to 11th and head into Christmas buzzing, while Rusthall will be keen to forget this one quickly.
There was late drama at Park View Road as Snodland Town edged a five-goal thriller against Erith & Belvedere. Liam Parle’s early opener was cancelled out in a lively second half, with Rob Strachan and Danny Lear briefly swinging momentum the Deres’ way. But goals from Emmanuel Shoderu and Charlie Sheringham proved decisive, as Snodland leapfrog their hosts into seventh.
Three matches finished level at 1–1, with honours even across the division. Punjab United held onto fifth spot thanks to a late equaliser against Bearsted, Sam Stace having given the 3rd-placed visitors the lead before Will Johnson-Cole struck four minutes from time. Kennington and Phoenix Sports also shared the spoils, Paul Lee responding to Charlie Owen’s opener, while Sutton Athletic and Chislehurst Glebe cancelled each other out after Ryan Mahal’s first-half strike was quickly answered by Khavarn Williams early in the second.
At the wrong end of the table, Hythe Town and Stansfeld played out a tense goalless draw in a game neither side could afford to lose. Chances were at a premium and neither could find the breakthrough, leaving both still marooned in the bottom two as Christmas arrives with more questions than answers.
The only fixture not to beat the weather was Tunbridge Wells v Faversham Strike Force, which fell victim to a waterlogged pitch.
Plenty of goals, a clear leader at the top, and a division still bubbling nicely — the Premier Division heads into Christmas in fine style.