Bury, Tilbury and Basildon record narrow victories, Witham are fourth, whilst Brentwood and the Abbotts each hit five. Felixstowe, Cambridge and Grays are also victorious
Heybridge Swifts welcomed leaders Bury Town. Swifts had not managed to win a home match this season, and they fell behind in this one on twenty six minutes, Luke Brown opening the scoring for Bury, and, as it turned out, that was that. The visitors remain two points clear at the top.
Tilbury have been in superb form of late, and the Dockers were looking to go seven unbeaten and record a sixth win from that run as they travelled to Mildenhall Town. Rather unsurprisingly when they took the lead the scorer was Alex Hernandez, as he was scoring in his fifth consecutive match, the goal arriving with twenty five minutes remaining. It turned out to be the only goal of the game, and the Dockers remain second.
After three consecutive defeats in League and Velocity Cup, former leaders Basildon United looked to get back to winning ways as they welcomed Maldon and Tiptree, and they went in front midway through the first half, Ruben Bartlett-Antwi with his ninth goal of the season. The Bees went down to ten men with seven minutes remaining, George Scales sent off, but they held on to stay third. Image from John Taylor.
Witham Town looked to get back to winning ways as Newmarket Town came to call, and in Josh Osude they have a striker who knows where the goal is. He scored his eight goal in ten matches to give them the lead on seven minutes, and they went two up just before the hour, Deese Kasinga Madia doubling their lead. Fourteen minutes from time a penalty from Kamani Mcfarlane made it three-nil, and although the Jockeys got a goal back through Jordan Foster that was as good as it got. Witham climb to fourth.
Brightlingsea Regent were quickly ahead against Redbridge, Fin Adams taking only six minutes to open the scoring, but the Motormen drew level eleven minutes before half time, Malachi Napa the scorer. Regent quickly restored their lead, Louie Kudiabor scoring for the eighth time this season, but nine minutes from time the visitors levelled again, Tendi Quamina the scorer of their second goal. Two minutes into added time the Motormen saw keeper Sam Nwabuko dismissed- could the hosts take advantage? They couldn’t- and drop to fifth.
Felixstowe and Walton United had played ten matches at home in all competitions and won them all, so perhaps it wasn’t a surprise when they went ahead in the eleventh, Josh Mayhew putting them ahead against Walthamstow. The visitors weren’t going to take that lying down, however, and Tayo Oyebola quickly equalised, but on twenty nine minutes the Seasiders were in front once more, Josh Hitter keeping his cool from the spot. Four minutes from time Stow’s hopes of getting something from the match took a hefty blow, Hayes Thomas sent off, and the hosts held on for the points. They are sixth, a point outside the top five with a game in hand- image from Stefan Peck.
Haringey Borough had finally found form of late, but they were quickly behind as they welcomed Brentwood Town, Marlon Agyakwa taking only two minutes to put the visitors ahead. Just before the half hour an own goal doubled the visitors lead, and the uphill struggle for Borough soon looked more like a mountain as Jonathan Nzengo made it three. Seven minutes from time Andrew Freeman added a fourth, and it was to get even worse for the hosts as Agyakwa scored a fifth three minutes from the end. The Blues climb to seventh.
Waltham Abbey took only one minute to hole the Yachtsmen beneath the waterline, Kymani Thomas with his second goal in three matches, and they made that hole even bigger when Olly Miles made it two-nil four minutes before half time. There was still time for a third before they all trooped off for a half time tot of rum- it was probably a banana and some Jaffa cakes but we suspect the visitors would have liked something stronger- as Prince Domafriyie added a third. The visitors finally got onto the scoresheet just after the hour, Ryan Hawkins pulling a goal back, but that just spurred on the Abbotts, who added a fourth, Thomas with his second of the game. It was five in added time, Troy Chilli rounding off a fine home win, his side in eighth.
Sporting Bengal United’s meeting with Concord Rangers kicked off an hour ahead of the rest, and accordingly the travelling Beachboys got our first North goal of the afternoon, Simo Mbonkwi scoring it on twenty one minutes- but the hosts drew level six minutes into the second half, Joe Gregory the scorer. The visitors restored their lead thirteen minutes later, Lewis Jaggs the scorer, and that looked to be that, but deep in added time the hosts drew level, Daniel Pepple earning them a point.
Grays Athletic were at home to Ipswich Wanderers, and took the lead on ten minutes, Alejandro Machado scoring his third goal of the season in only his fourth appearance- and it was a long distance beauty. That looked to be that, but seven minutes into added time Aron Gordon’s third of the season saw him beat defender after defender, and the keeper, making it two-nil and sealing the points.
Cambridge City, still playing at St Ives for now, broke the deadlock against Gorleston seven minutes before half time, Jayden Gipson the scorer. They added another seven minutes into the second half, Marcel Lewis scoring on his debut, and that was that. Five league defeats in a row for the Greens will be causing them real concern.
