COREY Currithers struck at the death to take Highgate United into the top-half of the Premier Division after a 2-1 victory over AFC Wulfrunians in the Midland Football League.
With the game ebbing out into a stalemate, Currithers popped up with a 90th-minute winner to earn a tenth win of the campaign, after Isaac Jagroop’s first-half opener was cancelled out by Aaron Bishop around the hour mark.
Assistant manager Dave Stringer took charge of the fixture with Russell Dodd away and admitted that Highgate are still yet to reach their full capability – despite rising to eighth and extending their unbeaten league run to nine games.
“Consistency has been lacking for some time now,” he said.
“Despite a good series of results recently, we only seem capable of playing well for 45 minutes.
“However, taking into account Saturday’s result which made it a hat-trick of wins, we must be doing something right as we continue that gradual climb up the table.”
Highgate went close eight minutes in when Seegu Sebbeh Njie played in Connor Doyle – who blasted a shot against the woodwork from an acute angle.
The same combination came to the fore once more when Njie tested Wulfs’ custodian Tom Turner before seeing his follow-up cleared off the line by Matthew Johnson.
With their next opportunity though, Highgate took it.
Jagroop found a yard of space and zipped a shot into the bottom corner to give the hosts a deserved lead heading into the break.
A tighter second half ensued when the visitors began to express their creative juices, providing a persistent threat down the right flank through Aaron Bishop.
The Gate struggled to get a foothold in the game and eventually paid the price when conceding from a free-kick delivered by James Hill and headed in by Bishop after goalkeeper James Beeson failed to clear.
Wulfrunians’ leveller sparked the hosts back into life as the likes of Doyle and Jagroop threatened the visitors’ goal, albeit to no avail.
A late free-kick changed that however, when James Wilcock lofted the ball into the box to create a bout of head tennis inside AFC’s penalty area – with Currithers getting the final touch to flick into the net.
Dodd’s men now attempt to take their unbeaten record into double figures away to ninth-placed Boldmere St Michaels on Saturday (3pm).
CHELMSLEY Town succumbed to a ruthless performance from table-topping Leicester Road in a 4-1 home defeat in Division One.
Danny Brain’s first-half free-kick to level after Liam Reed’s opener was all that Town had to show for their efforts at full-time – following a Denny Jenno brace and a Matt Langham strike after the break.
Chelmsley are down a place to 17th as a result, ahead of Saturday’s (3pm) trip to Heath Hayes, who are ninth.
DIVISION Two leaders Solihull United were again denied a match last weekend when their Alcester Town trip was rained off.
A local derby against Earlswood Town – who have not played since the first weekend of the year – is in store at The Pavilions on Saturday (2pm).
KNOWLE took full advantage of Solihull’s misfortune by closing the gap at the top to seven points following the 4-0 dismantling of Lane Head.
Charlie Griffiths’ first-half brace was the highlight of a comfortable win for The Robins, while Luke Fox and Brandon Hague also got in on the act at Hampton Road.
With a game in hand still to play, Knowle head to third-placed Feckenham on Saturday (2pm) as the Silhillian battle for the division title continues.
HAMPTON are tenth after seeing off basement side Redditch Borough 3-1 at Field Lane, putting them in good spirits for Saturday’s (2pm) tough trip to Boldmere Sports & Social Falcons.
Darryl Francis, Jack Slevin and Matt Harris were the goalscorers last weekend.
A DISAPPOINTING collapse was suffered by FC Shush in their Division Three fixture against Welland, blowing a half-time lead to lose 3-1.
Substitute Ryan Browne blasted home an emphatic opener on the stroke of half-time, before three goals in the final 20 minutes from the visitors’ James Lush (2) and Omar Elmougy turned the game on its head.
Fifth-placed Shush now turn attentions to Leamington Hibernian (11th), who they visit in Saturday’s (2pm) next league encounter.
ELSEWHERE in the division, AFC Solihull and Birmingham Tigers were both out of action.
AFC were scheduled to travel to Upton Town, while the Tigers were due to host Continental Star. The two are now set to do battle at Tudor Grange Leisure Centre on Saturday (2pm).
Despite the disappointment of the latest postponement, Solihull manager Jon Hill has been impressed by the development of young talent coming through club’s youth system and is willing to continue blooding the next generation in first-team games.
“I believe that if you’re good enough, you’re old enough,” he said.
“We have to continue to give players opportunities to prove themselves and show what they can do.”
