Late double lifts Ware

Forest looked set for a comfortable victory after Adrian Clifton’s 73rd-minute lead doubled the lead provided by Manu Dagher just after the half-hour.

Louis Rose gave the visitors a glimmer of hope with an 80th-minute header and Jon Stevenson’s 91st-minute penalty gave them the point which was all they needed to escape from last place.

But better was to follow three minutes later when Tony Martin snatched the winner. Redbridge, whose home game against Wroxham, was one of four in the division to be postponed, are now at the bottom.

At the other end of the table, leaders Maldon suffered their second defeat of the season whehn they went down 2-1 at Thamesmead, who climbed to third.

Sean Roberts ran from midfield to put the hosts ahead in the 18th minute. Maldon drew level with a Jamie Guy penalty in the 50th minute, after Lewis Dark had been tripped, and Ashley Probets missed a penalty at the other end shortly afterwards.

He made amends by delivering the free-kick from which Rob Carter headed the 84th-minute winner. Unbeaten at Christmas, Maldon have since lost two and drawn two of their six games but they remain ten points clear at the top.

Grays could only trim that lead by a single point after being held to a 0-0 draw at Witham. They had the better chances in a game where the strong wind was the only winner.

Heybridge moved back into fourth place, above Aveley who were sidelined by the weather, with a comfortable 3-0 home win over Ilford.

Reece Morgan and Russell Malton put them two up in 16 minutes, reviving memories of their recent 11-0 humbling of Redbridge, but on this occasion they were to add only one more, again from Malton in the 36th minute. (Pictured by Gavin Ellis/TGS Photo: Michael Cheek goes flying as Ilford's Daniel M'Baku saves at his feet).

There is a six-point gap between the top five and the rest after Soham missed the chance to move into sixth place by allowing visitors Brentwood to escape with a 2-2 draw after they had been 2-0 down.

Michael Simpson put Soham ahead on 20 minutes and Luke Stanley doubled the advantage on the hour. Abs Thompson pulled one back in the 79th minute after a shot from Alex Read was parried and, deep into injury time, Read picked himself up after being fouled to level matters from the spot.

The point was a bonus for the Essex side, who were relieved just to be able to play their 17th league match of the season, leaving them only 25 to cram into the remaining 12 weeks of the season.

A late burst of goals from two 17-year-olds fired Needham Market to a 3-0 victory at Harlow; their seventh league win of the season, all away from home.

Needham were the better side but it looked as if they would have to settle for a point until Elliott Crowe swooped to break the deadlock in the 86th minute, He then scored again and Ryan Charles added another.

Sudbury had plenty of chances in their home game with Chatham but took only one, a 43rd-minute penalty by James Baker, and had to settle for a 1-1 draw after Garry Tilley equalised ten minutes into the second half.