Advantage Gulls- for now

Canvey Island knew that a win could send them back to the top of the table, and they started well, taking the lead at Witham Town on twenty minutes, Bradley Sach with his fourth goal since becoming a Gull. That was that, and as Stowmarket Town were held to a goalless draw by Basildon United the Gulls ended the day a point clear at the summit. That’s nine unbeaten for Stow, and continued improvement for the Bees.

Our top match had Aveley hosting Dereham Town, both sides with strong promotion hopes. The Millers knew that a win could take them top if Stowmarket and Canvey lost, and they went ahead ten minutes before the break, George Sykes with the opener. The Magpies drew level with twenty one minutes remaining, Dion Frary with the goal, but they were level for hardly any time at all before Sykes restored home advantage. That was that, but the Millers stay third, two points shy of the summit- albeit with a game in hand. Our image of a celebrating Sykes comes from the lens of Lambpix.

We had a match between two form sides at the Arena, as Brentwood Town welcomed Felixstowe and Walton United. The visitors got their noses in front on twenty five minutes, Andre Hasanally with the opener, and that turned out to be the only goal of the game. Town stay fifth, the Seasiders are three points behind in eighth.

AFC Sudbury and Hashtag United couldn’t find a goal between them.

Tilbury welcomed Maldon and Tiptree, and the Dockers, who had an impressive win over Bury Town in midweek, took the lead just before the half hour, Brian Moses getting the goal. The Jammers drew level three minutes after the break, Olu Oluwatimelehin with the equaliser, and then went ahead, Ade Cole twenty one minutes from time. That turned out to be the winner, the Jammers in ninth.

Heybridge Swifts welcomed a Romford side who can’t remember what a win feels like, and when Andrew Fennell put the hosts ahead on twenty six minutes it looked as if they wouldn’t get a reminder today, either- and they were two down before the break, Dan Walker doubling the home advantage. It was three-nil seven minutes after the restart, Lionel Ainsworth making things worse for Boro, and the same player made it four with twenty four minutes left. Rhys Henry got number five four minutes from time, and although Justin Bailey for one back for Romford it won’t help them much.

Although it has been an indifferent season for Bury Town they have had at least one bright spot, as Cemal Ramadan has been in his usual goalscoring form for most of the campaign. The Town number ten got his sixteenth of the campaign when opening the scoring against Great Wakering Rovers on fourteen minutes, but his side then looked up against it as Oliver Snaith saw red. They didn’t react as if anything had happened, however, Ramadan making it two eleven minutes before the break, and the ten men made it three ten minutes after the break, Ramadan getting his hat trick. Only then did Rovers get going, Darnell Mavanga-Kithambo pulling one back.

Not often does a player get a hat trick and a red card, but Ramadan managed that in added time, and Ross Crane went with him as Bury ended with three points and eight men.

Barking are in real need of points to climb away from danger, but they fell behind to Coggeshall Town eight minutes before the break, Lewis Byrne-Hewitt opening the scoring for the Seed Growers. The equaliser came just before the break, Sam Shaban with it, but Byrne-Hewitt wasn’t done, and got his second on the hour. Dylan Logan then got on the scoresheet six minutes later, and the same player then made it four, fifteen minutes from time. The Seed Growers have opened an eight point gap between themselves and the bottom three.

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