Jockeys hit five- and go second

Second place Hashtag United had the chance to return to the top of Pitching In Isthmian North as they welcomed Tilbury. The Tags had lost only once all season, whilst the Dockers had failed to win on the road, so the hosts were certainly the favourites- particularly as they’d already defeated Tilbury once this season. It seemed that the Dockers hadn’t read the script, as they went ahead just before the half hour, Issa Sidibe breaking the deadlock, and right at the end the visitors added a second through Soumen Nnamdi to ensure three points. The Tags slip to third, the Dockers are eleventh. 

Third place Newmarket Town also had an outside chance of taking top spot, but they had a tricky trip to Concord Rangers standing in their way. The Jockeys had ben in magnificent form, ten matches unbeaten with eight of those ending in victory, whilst the Beachboys got back to winning ways last time out, walloping Lowestoft Town to end a run of two defeats. Rangers defeated the Jockeys three-one back in August, and they went ahead in this one on nineteen minutes, Kai Torres scoring his seventh goal in eleven starts. 

Just after the half hour Jack Eady brought the Jockeys level, but they were level for only two minutes before Torres struck again. The visitors levelled again eleven minutes after half time, Ryan Cole from the spot, and then they went ahead for the first time, Elliott Reeves making it two-three with twenty six minutes remaining. The Jockeys continued to press, and went four-two up nine minutes later, Theo Goddard with that one- and they weren’t finished, Taylan Kilinc scoring a fifth in added time. Newmarket climb to second- only goal difference keeping them off the top. 

Redbridge, in fifth, hit the road to take on ninth place Bowers and Pitsea. Bowers had only one defeat from ten, the Motormen one defeat from five, and the visitors were looking to complete a double against their opponents- and they struck first, Jack Chawner hitting the net from the spot just before the break. Bowers didn’t take that lying down and were level just after the hour, Finlay Dorrell scoring for the third match in succession and the seventh time this season- but right at the end an own goal gave Redbridge the points. They climb to fourth. 

Cambridge City had been in fine form, with seven wins from eight; the most recent of them- against Little Oakley at the weekend- a seven-nil thrashing. They welcomed sixteenth place Buckhurst Hill, the visitors six without a win- for their first League meeting of the campaign; although City had triumphed in an FA Cup meeting. City were ahead after only two minutes, Fletcher Toll striking from the spot, and the next goal came from the spot, too, also going to City five minutes from time, Charlie Royle making quite sure of the points. City are fifth. 

Brightlingsea Regent and Canvey Island were both rather keen on three points, nineteenth versus seventeenth- and each had taken only one when they met in August. Regent seemed to have finally found their feet with two wins from three, whilst the Gulls had identical form and had climbed out of the bottom four as a consequence. The most significant statistic in the opening half hour was a red card for the hosts George Forrest, and the next was a goal for the Gulls, Jack Cawley making a breakthrough on sixty seven minutes. The ten men levelled right at the end, Luca Terminiello delivering an equaliser and earning his side a point. 

Mulbarton Wanderers, in eighteenth, started the evening only a point above the drop zone and with only one win from their last seven, AFC Sudbury standing in their way. The Yellows were also in poor form, having lost three in a row, and were looking for revenge after a one-nil defeat in August- but it was Wanderers who hit the ground running, and indeed they delivered something of a sprint, Ashley Jarvis taking only one minute to open the scoring. 

Sudbury drew level nine minutes into the second half, Archie Jolland with the equaliser, and then immediately went down to ten men, Jorginho Gomes sent off, so perhaps it was no surprise when Kieran Smith restored Wanderers advantage fifteen minutes from time, and when Jarvis struck again for three-one. Wanderers climb to fifteenth. 

In the Velocity Cup, goals from Charlie Heatley and Josh Sykes gave Takeley a two-one win at Fakenham Town. Valter Da Rocha struck for the hosts.