On the last Saturday before Christmas the Leafe were in no mood to give a festive present which at this moment is much needed at Croydon FC, writes Micky Taylor.

As always when you are down at the bottom nothing seems to go right for you, not even when you take the lead.

Whyteleafe beat Croydon FC 3-1 despite Croydon striking first in the 52nd minute when Ashley Martin fired home, but the goal only seemed to inspire the Leafe who were back on level terms inside seven minutes when Paul Scott scored.

The Leafe stepped up a gear as they went for the points and Lee Douce set them on their way when he scored to put them in front for the first time in the game on 69 minutes. A minute later when Richard Williams scored to ensure the points went the Leafe's way as they climbed into mid-table and the Trams face the prospect of relegation if they don't turn it around in the new year.

Croydon Athletic made the short trip to Kingston and gave league leaders AFC Wimbledon a big fright in a 2-2 draw in front of a large home crowd.

The Athletic though were behind after seven minutes when Richard Butler scored and the Dons must have thought they were on their way to three points. But the Rams had other ideas as Barry Stevens levelled on 26 minutes followed by a John Fowler strike on 36 minutes to give the Rams a half-time lead.

As the second half wore on it looked like the Athletic were on their way to inflicting a very rare home defeat on Wimbledon, that is until substitute Leon McDowell saved the home side's blushes with a strike seven minutes from time.

Dulwich Hamlet don't seem to be getting anywhere at the moment with their indifferent league form and Saturday proved no exception as they could only manage a 1-1 draw at home to a Dorking outfit who are struggling at the moment.

The Hamlet took the lead on 40 minutes when Charley Side fired home, but the Hamlet could not build on that goal and paid dearly when Dorking fired home the equaliser with the last kick of the game when Steve Valandria scored from the penalty spot.