Grays ditched by Ben's double

By Peter Butcher

IT MAY be early in the Ryman North season, but the clash between Sudbury and Grays yesterday (Saturday) had the look of a fixture that could be crucial in the promotion battle come April. If so, Sudbury have the edge after a 3-1 home victory.

Grays were rocked by a first-minute Ben Bowditch goal but they responded through Jack West in the 16th minute and it stayed all square until Bowditch struck again in the 74th minute. Dave Bryant made sure deep into added time.

Waltham Abbey are the new leaders of the division after their 3-1 win at Soham, one of only two clubs in the whole league yet to earn a point. And the Abbotts did it despite having striker James Peagram in goal for the last 75 minutes after James Bransgrove suffered a head injury.

Ayrton Coley gave the Abbotts the lead just after the half-hour and, although Rob Mason equalised for Soham on the 45-minute mark, there was still time for Coley to strike again before the interval. The points were not safe until Loren Maxwell rounded things off in the last minute.

Tilbury moved into second place with a 2-1 derby success at Aveley. After a rapid early exchange of goals, with Emiel Aiken’s 11th-minute opener for the visitors being answered immediately by Shane Oakley, the in-form Danny Francis claimed the winner on the hour. Pictured is a pile-up at the near post as Tilbury defend a corner (pic by Mikey Cartwright/ponderosapics.photoshelter.com)

Maldon stay third after their 2-2 draw at Potters Bar, for whom James Gershfield maintained his record of scoring in every game this season with his third double, taking his tally to eight in five games. He broke the deadlock in first-half injury time but the visitors levelled on the hour through James Robinson and went ahead with 15 minutes left with a Jamie Guy effort. There was no stopping Gershfield, however, and he squared it again two minutes later.

Overnight leaders Chatham slipped to fifth after going down 2-0 at home to Needham Market. Nathan Clarke opened the scoring midway through the first half and Kieran Leabon added another ten minutes after the break.

Brentwood notched up their first win and inflicted a first defeat on Cheshunt, who went down 2-0 at the Brentwood Centre. Neil Cousins, back at the club where he started his senior career (and for whom he once scored nine goals in the first two games of a season), put Blues ahead after 25 minutes and Sherwin Stanley made sure in the closing stages.

Waltham Forest also chalked up their first three-point haul, with a 21st-minute goal by Tom Vickers proving to be all they needed to see off visiting neighbours Redbridge.

A single goal was enough for Harlow, too. Sam Deaney netted on the hour at Witham and the Hawks have now won both their away games while losing all three, including an FA Cup match, on home territory. Witham's Joe Pearman missed a chance to level the scores, lifting his penalty high over the bar.

Ware collected their first point in a 1-1 home draw with Ilford. They must have hoped for better when Tony Martin gave them a fourth-minute lead, but they could not add to it and Sam Adejokun replied in the 72nd minute.

Thamesmead drew 2-2 at Heybridge but were furious to be denied a penalty in the closing stages, with their protests leading to a red card for James Donovan after the final whistle. Ben Newson gave Swifts a tenth-minute lead which vanished before half-time as Rob Carter and Lea Dawson turned it round with two goals in three minutes. Michael Cheek levelled matters after 63 minutes.

Where next?

K's join the leaders KINGSTONIAN made it a leading group of five in Ryman Premier with a 3-1 home win over bottom club Leiston today (Sunday).
Tanners cruise through LEATHERHEAD completed the list of Ryman League qualifiers for the next round of the FA Cup with a comfortable 3-0 home replay win over Horley last night (Wednesday).

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