Brentwood defeat Hereford in the Trophy- whilst Bury go three clear in the league. Walthamstow get five, Grays four, and Regent, Rangers and Jammers are our other winners
Isuzu FA Trophy
Brentwood Town had a long trip in prospect, the Blues heading to National League North promotion chasers Hereford. Brentwood weren’t overawed by the one thousand, four hundred and forty two mainly home fans, and delivered one of the greatest victories in their history! After eighty one minutes without a goal it seemed we were off to penalties, but Benas Vaivada decided otherwise, finishing confidently at the back post- after a fine run and cross from Marlon Agyakwa- to seal perhaps the win of the round. A red card for their hosts soon afterwards helped them hold on, and sparked enormous celebrations amongst the travelling faithful. Many congratulations to all at the club, you’ve made us very proud indeed.
Felixstowe and Walton United have been magnificent on their own patch, sweeping all before them- and recently they’d been very good on the road too, so we didn’t expect that they’d be overawed by a trip to take on Boreham Wood. The Seasiders had won seven in a row- including a six-one win at Bishop’s Stortford in the last round- and they went ahead against their National League South hosts on seventeen minutes, Josh Hitter making the breakthrough. The visitors held on heroically until six minutes from time when a penalty brought the hosts ahead, and sadly penalties were to end their run, Boreham Wood winning the shootout five-four.
Leaders Bury Town took a one point advantage on the road to the seaside, where they faced Gorleston in Great Yarmouth. The Blues have been generally superb this season, and were looking for a third successive win- they’d lost only one in ten- and to do the double over the Greens. They went ahead after just ten minutes, Luke Brown the scorer, and doubled their lead six minutes before half time, Cemal Ramadan taking his tally up to thirteen. That was that, and the Blues open up a three point lead at the top.
Witham Town had won their previous six league matches, kept a clean sheet three times out of four, and ended Tilbury’s long unbeaten run last weekend, and were beginning to look like real promotion contenders. Witham were on the road to Wroxham- who were premiering their ‘Welcome to Wroxham’ documentary after the match- and the first notable action of the match was a red card for Witham’s Ryan Dear on fifty three minutes- and a spot kick awarded. Could the Yachtsmen take advantage? They couldn’t, the penalty striking a post, and indeed they joined the visitors on ten men when James Everett saw red in added time. The match ended goalless, as neither side could make a breakthrough. Witham are three points behind the leaders, Wroxham are three points from safety.
Tilbury had the chance to climb back in to the top three, the Dockers looking to get back to winning ways in the League after their defeat against Witham last weekend. Tilbury were ten matches unbeaten until that reverse, and certainly didn’t seem to have taken it to heart, coming from behind for the umpteenth time this season to defeat Wingate and Finchley- third in the Premier Division- in midweek, and they went ahead against visitors Redbridge after twenty six minutes. The scorer was Alex Hernandez, who continued to be a revelation in black and white, taking his tally to twelve goals in twelve matches.
It was two-nil just six minutes before the break, Igli Matalia doubling the Dockers lead, but the Motormen began to motor after the break, and twelve minutes into the second half Tendi Quamina pulled a goal back, and the visitors quickly levelled, Charlie Stimson making it two-two. With thirteen minutes left Jamie Reynolds put the Dockers three-two up, but only three minutes later Quamina drew the visitors level once more- and this time they held on for a point.
Grays Athletic and Heybridge Swifts both had the chance to leap into the top five as they met at Scraley Road. Athletic had the best defensive record of any side in the entire league, the only side to still see their goals conceded in single figures-and were looking for a fifth successive win. They went ahead on thirty four minutes, Reon Smith-Kouassi the scorer, and added a second on sixty six minutes through Louie Remi. The hosts have really struggled on their own patch this season, and those struggles were once more apparent when Luke Hirst made it three with fifteen minutes left, and there was still time for Remi to add a fourth, his fourth goal in four games. Four-nil was the final score, Athletic up to fifth.
Another side with top five hopes were Waltham Abbey, and the Abbotts were on the road to Haringey Borough. Abbey saw a six match unbeaten run end last time out, and wanted to start another, whilst Borough’s form was erratic to say the least, so we had no idea how they would do. The hosts took the lead on twenty six minutes, Derek Asamoah’s sixth of the season, and Asamoah added a second just before half time to give his side a bit of a cushion, not that they’d have been taking anything for granted. The Abbotts were quickly back in the match, Troy Chiabi halving the arrears on fifty three minutes, and they drew level with seventeen minutes left, Amrit Bansai-McNulty the scorer. This time the scoring ended, Waltham Abbey in seventh, Borough in nineteenth, a second draw between the sides in three weeks.
Brightlingsea Regent have had an eventful week with a managerial change, and Ryan Salter’s first match in permanent charge was the visit of Sporting Bengal United. Regent knew that they could even end it in the top five if they won and other results went their way, but with three wins from their previous four the visitors were flying, and an own goal put them in front on thirteen minutes- unlucky for the hosts. Regent levelled just before the break, Fin Adams with the equaliser, and on sixty four minutes Teddy Collis put them ahead. It was a lead they held, a perfect start for the new boss, and Regent up to sixth.
Managerless Ipswich Wanderers had been on a terrible run. Nine matches without a win and seven defeats had seen them plunge to the bottom of the table, and within four minutes of kick off against Walthamstow at The Doucy it didn’t look like things were about to improve, as Johnville Renee put the visitors ahead. Things quickly got worse, Louie Johnson making it two a quarter of an hour later, and on twenty eight minutes Te Wihongi added a third for the visitors. Six minutes before the break Renee made it four, and after that the visitors took a bit of a breather before adding a fifth on sixty six minutes, Jason Banton the latest on the scoresheet. A minute from time Michael Bareck got a goal back for Wanderers, from the spot, but it was little more than a consolation, and not much of one.
Newmarket Town welcomed a Maldon and Tiptree side who were under new management and had several new players, too- and the Jammers were out of the starting gate at top speed, Darren Phillips putting them ahead after only three minutes. It was two-nil on thirteen minutes, Kien Connolly doubling the lead, and there the scoring ended, the visitors climbing out of the bottom four as a consequence.
Concord Rangers were on a poor run, six without a win, and hoped to put that right as Mildenhall Town visited the Island. Hall were looking to go four unbeaten, and were also looking for revenge for the one-nil defeat they suffered at their Riverside Stadium in September, but the Beachboys broke through with twenty three minutes left, Simo Mbonkwi the scorer. Four minutes from time they were awarded a penalty, and Amine Sassi made no mistake, giving them a two-nil lead which they held onto to take the points.
