Advantage Aveley!

Aveley’s unbeaten run in the league stretched back fourteen games as they kicked off at Felixstowe and Walton United, and it was fifteen by full time, as the Millers took over at the top of the table. The Seasiders lost for the first time in six matches last time out, but are still very much in the play off shake up, and it took forty eight minutes for a goal to arrive as they frustrated their title-chasing visitors. Ryan Scott got that goal, and six minutes from time Alex Akrofi’s twenty fourth of the season made sure.

You never know quite what you’re going to get from Coggeshall Town, the Seed Growers- for their supporters, anyway- maddeningly inconsistent. Their visitors Canvey Island looked to be close to their best form, scoring nine goals in their last three matches and conceding only one, and had already defeated the Seed Growers in League and Trophy this season, so it was no surprise when our start-of-day leaders went ahead after twelve minutes, Alex announcing that it was Teniola time again. What was perhaps a surprise is that their second goal didn’t come, and six minutes from time O’Shane Stewart grabbed an equaliser for the hosts, before right at the end Joshua Pollard made a big impact on the title chase by giving the hosts all three points. Canvey slip to second, Town are thirteenth.

Stowmarket Town, with a game in hand over their two rivals and the best defence in the division, travelled to the Len Salmon to face Hashtag United. The Tags, who went fifth with a massive win at Brentwood Town on Tuesday and had taken thirteen points from their last fifteen, poured scorn on the defensive abilities of their visitors by going two up within fifteen minutes, Lewis Watson and Kojo Apenteng with the goals, but then gifted Town a foothold with an own goal on nineteen minutes. The Tags got their fourth goal of the day just before the hour, Harry Honesty putting them three-one up, and then Town got a goal of their own, Willie Clemons giving them hope. That hope turned into a point right at the end, Reginald Thompson-Lambe with a last-gasp equaliser. Town are two points off the top with a game in hand over the duo above them.

Grays Athletic, looking over their shoulders a little in fourth place, took an early lead as Witham Town came to call. Ryan Melaugh put them ahead, but the visitors equalised four minutes after the restart through Ryan Scott and then shocked the home faithful by taking the lead, Josh Osude scoring on sixty two minutes, before getting a third two minutes from time, Ramiah Mills with that one. Mills goal turned out to be critical, as Melaugh got another just before the end but Witham left with the points, a vital win that sees them open a seven point gap over the bottom two and retain their three point advantage over third bottom Hullbridge Sports.

Brentwood Town had dropped out of the top five by losing three of their last four, and they travelled to Heybridge Swifts desperate to put their play off chase back on track. Town took four minutes to go in front, Ashley Nzala opening the scoring, but were ahead for only a quarter of an hour before Lance Akins equalised. Town went back in front on the half hour, Matt Cripps restoring their lead, and opened up a gap when Nzala made it three just before the hour mark. Nzala had his hat trick with fourteen minutes remaining, and his side are now one point behind fifth place Hashtag with two games in hand. The Blues, in orange, are pictured courtesy of their club, exhausted but happy at full time.

Dereham Town had seen themselves slip out of the promotion picture and fall to eighth, six points behind the side in fifth place- albeit with two games in hand. The Magpies hoped to fill their boots as they welcomed a Romford side marooned at the bottom, and having conceded twenty seven goals in their last five matches- and they went ahead midway through the half, Toby Hilliard with the opener. Matthew Castellan made it two with seventeen minutes left, and then Boro made their life more difficult, Tamberson Eyong seeing red. Hilliard got another from the spot right at the end, and his side climbed a place.

AFC Sudbury travelled to Tilbury with a seven match unbeaten run under their belts, but it was the Dockers who made the breakthrough in this one, Roman Campbell getting his twelfth of the campaign. Campbell got another with eleven minutes remaining, a result which surely sees the Dockers safe, but send the Yellows down to tenth.

Maldon & Tiptree started the day seven points off a play off place, and hadn’t been the force we expected them to be this season despite some very good moments. The Jammers had only lost one of their last nine, however, so it wasn’t too surprising when they took the lead at Great Wakering Rovers five minutes before the break, Shomari Barnwell getting his tenth of the campaign. Robert Clark made it two-nil to the visitors on sixty four minutes, and a Shad Ngandu spot kick two minutes from time made sure of three points and saw the Jammers make up more ground on the teams above them.

We had a blue on blue battle as Bury Town travelled to Barking, and the two swapped goals in the first half, Barking ahead through Barney Williams, behind after Cemal Ramadan got a double, and then level when Markos Tourakis made it two-two four minutes before the break. There were no more goals in the second half, and that point isn’t much good for Barking, who are seven points away from guaranteed safety.

We’d a big battle at the bottom as Basildon United hosted Hullbridge Sports. The Bees had pulled seven points clear of their third bottom visitors but had still taken only eight points from their last thirty, whereas Sports were much improved until very recently, a five game unbeaten run coming to an end with defeats to Hashtag and Tilbury. Sports took the lead just after the break, Roland Oteniya with the goal, and doubled their advantage with seventeen minutes left, Albert Levett with that one, sealing three points and keeping them firmly in the survival hunt.

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