Buckhurst Hill and Little Oakley start their Isthmian lives with comfortable victories- with Wanderers and City also picking up three points
Three of our newcomers pick up Tuesday victories, Cambridge City wallop Walthamstow, whilst Witham and Fakenham triumph in the FA Cup
Newcomers Buckhurst Hill finally got into action, Grays Athletic visiting for an Essex derby. Hill started the evening in sixteenth, on- of course- zero points, with six sides below them despite their lack of action; whilst their visitors were three points better off.
The Hill faithful had to wait only seven minutes for something to cheer about, Max Gnandi taking the ball around the keeper and slotting home, and if he enjoyed that one he got to repeat his celebration eleven minutes before half time, making it two-nil. The scoring stopped there, Hill leaping above their visitors on goal difference.
Little Oakley had also had to sit out the League campaign so far, so their fans were delighted to finally get to see their heroes in Step Four action. Brightlingsea Regent were their visitors, and they were quickly behind, Dylan Ketley-Gregan opening the scoring for the hosts. Little Oakley added a second twenty minutes later, Josh McFaull doubling the lead, and on sixty four minutes they were three up, Luke Mayhew leaving them in a commanding position. In added time Regent were awarded a penalty, which Joseph Watson successfully put away, but there was no ruining the hosts evening- three-one, three points and eleventh place in the table.
Lowestoft Town were back on their own patch, the Trawler Boys welcoming an impressive Mulbarton Wanderers. Town picked up their first win of the season a week ago, coming from behind to take three points from Fakenham Town; whilst Wanderers had so far defeated Lakenheath, Felixstowe and Walton United, AFC Sudbury and Little Oakley in League, Cup and Trophy, scoring ten goals and keeping a clean sheet in each match.
Perhaps on that basis it wasn’t too surprising when the visitors went ahead, although Ashley Jarvis’ opener came from the spot eight minutes before the break. Jarvis added another midway through the second half, and it was a lead they held onto, climbing to fifth as a result.
Newmarket Town’s opening two League matches had both ended in defeat, so the Jockeys hoped to get points on the board as they entertained Takeley. Away from League action they had been impressive- and victorious- in two FA Cup matches, walloping St Neots Town on Saturday, so they weren’t short on confidence- but as it turned out, they were short of goals, as they didn’t manage to score any. They did get that first point, however, as Takeley also failed to score.
Bowers and Pitsea haven’t had the start they might have expected, and hoped to put that right as they headed to Tilbury- but as it turned out, neither side could break the deadlock. Still, we expect that the fans enjoyed the award-winning burgers even if the football wasn’t particularly exciting!
Walthamstow started the night with three points more than visitors Cambridge City, but then the East Londoners had played three times the matches, with three different outcomes. The previous four matches between the sides had all ended in home wins, but the visitors bucked that trend- and in some style.
City were out of the blocks at top speed, Charlie Royle taking only four minutes to put them ahead- and a quarter of an hour later Royle added another. Just before the hour the visitors added a third, Fletcher Toll the scorer, and they weren’t finished, Charles Brown-Bampoe adding a fourth with only six minutes remaining. City climb to tenth.
Fakenham Town were at home to St Ives Town in an FA Cup Preliminary Round Replay, following a two-two draw at the weekend. This time around Fakenham were too strong for their visitors, running out two-nil winners with two goals after the break. Our image is from Stuart Fuller.
Witham Town travelled to take on Potters Bar Town, these days in the Pitching In Southern League- and the visitors were too good for the Scholars. The sides drew two-two in Essex on Saturday, but the return fixture had only one goal, and it arrived on ten minutes- scorer as yet unknown. The visitors could have had another after the break, failing from the spot, but in the end it didn’t matter.