A Trawler Boys comeback leaves them eight clear

Lowestoft Town remained unbeaten at start of play but saw their one hundred percent record come to an end at Hullbridge Sports last weekend. They’d perhaps the toughest possible opponents as they looked to get back to winning ways, as their nearest challengers Grays Athletic came to call- and it was the visitors who broke the deadlock six minutes after the break, Sam Bantick’s eighth of the season giving them the lead. That awoke the hosts, who roared back to take the lead, Adam Hipperson with the equaliser and Charlie Norman with the second, and the visitors then went down to ten men as Joshua Osude saw red. Shortly afterwards Rhys Logan made it three-one, and that turned out to be that- the Trawler Boys ending the day with an eight point lead at the top.

Image courtesy of Shirley Whitlow.

Felixstowe and Walton United’s attempt to get back to winning ways came with a Hashtag United shaped obstacle, but they soon found their way past it, Zak Brown putting them ahead. They doubled their lead with seventeen minutes remaining, George Clarke with that one, and the victory was comfortable when Charlie Warren made it three. There was still time for a fourth, that one coming to Josh Hitter- confirming a third win in a row for the Seasiders against the Tags, and United up to second.

Heybridge Swifts lost their first league game last weekend, but quickly bounced back to defeat Witham Town in midweek and were quickly ahead against Tilbury, Kieran Jones getting his fourth of the season in only the second minute. By the eighteenth minute it was three-nil, Darren Phillips and Rhys Henry adding to the tally, and Phillips made it four from the spot on twenty five minutes as the Dockers dithered. On thirty six minutes it was five-nil, Rob Harvey adding his name to the scoresheet, but after that the hosts slackened their pace and the last goal of the game came right at the end. It was a Dockers consolation through Darnell Kithambo, although it’s doubtful they’ll take any consolation from it. Swifts go third.

Stowmarket Town have been in superb form, up to fourth as we kicked off and with only one defeat this season. Nine games without defeat in all competitions, they welcomed a Great Wakering Rovers side who were soon behind, Reggie Lambe opening the scoring in the thirteenth minute. Rovers didn’t give up and drew level from the spot with twenty minutes left, Alex Hernandez keeping his nerve, but that just spurred on the hosts, and Kane Munday looked to have given them the points with a goal in the last minute. Celebrations were premature, however, as Kewin Kwiek immediately drew the visitors level- and that was that. Town drop to sixth.

We started the day with only one point between third and eighth, and Brentwood Town were hoping to overturn that deficit as they entertained Witham Town. They got off to a terrible start, Abdul Rasheed scoring for the visitors in the very first minute, but levelled through Andy Freeman just before the half hour- something that obviously angered Rasheed as he added two more almost immediately to claim a hat trick and put his side three-one up. Just before the break Charlie Kendall made it two-three, and the equaliser arrived midway through the second half, George Craddock making it three-three. The comeback was complete with thirteen minutes left, Freeman getting his second of the match for four-three, and it was five-three six minutes later, Marlon Agyakwa with the fifth as the visitors wondered how they’d lost. Rasheed deserves the match ball- but will he want it?

AFC Sudbury added Aveley goalkeeper David Hughes to their squad prior to their trip to Basildon United, but the Bees were also busy in the transfer market this week. The Yellows entered the match unbeaten and, although they started the day in sixth place, have three games in hand to make up the nine point gap between themselves and the leaders. Josh Stokes opened the scoring for the visitors seven minutes before the break, but shortly after the restart the Bees stung, Kye Jude with the equaliser- and the hosts then went ahead, Wilson Chingoka with their second. You ignore Nnamdi Nwachuku at your peril, and the Sudbury striker got his sixteenth of the campaign to level with nine minutes remaining, but both sides had to settle for a point.

Bury Town, in ninth, knew they could climb as high as third with victory over Hullbridge Sports- but they were soon behind, Darius Ghinea opening the scoring on the quarter hour with a goal from a free kick. The Ram Meadow faithful had seen their side lose two of their last three, but they were given something to cheer when Cemal Ramadan drew them level just before the break- and cheered even louder a minute later when Ramadan’s thirteenth of the season made it two-one. Sports weren’t finished, however, and they took a point when Emmanuel Folarin levelled two minutes from time.

East Thurrock United had gone five league matches without defeat and seemed to have found their North Division mojo as they welcomed Gorleston, and so it proved as they were two up inside eighteen minutes, Ben Steward with both of them. That’s six matches unbeaten now for the Rocks, and up to tenth.

New Salamis welcomed Wroxham to Coles Park. The hosts were four games without a win in League, Velocity Cup and Trophy, and were ahead in this one on fourteen minutes, Derek Asamoah striking for the eighth time this season- but the Yachtsmen were quickly level and soon ahead, Brad Spooner and Shaun Taylor turning things around. The hosts then hit back to equalise through George Lutaaya, and midway through the second half Asamoah put them ahead- but again the Yachtsmen struck back, Ryan Miles equalising- his ninth of the season. That was the end of the goals, Salamis in twelfth, Wroxham in seventeenth.

Coggeshall Town and Maldon & Tiptree are both desperate for points, but they had to settle for one each- and no goals.

Follow the Pitching In Isthmian League on Instagram. Head here or search for theisthmianleague on your app. We're also on Facebook and Twitter.