Hill and Beachboys deliver one goal wins- whilst Bowers triumph in the Cup

Buckhurst Hill knew that a point at home to Cambridge City in Pirtching In Isthmian North would lift them out of the bottom four- but their visitors, who started the night in sixth place, were aware that victory could lift them as high as fourth. Hill went down to ten men three minutes before half time, Callum Maltese seeing red, but if that looked to have given the visitors an advantage they didn’t take it, because two minutes into added time at the end of the contest Shane Temple got a winner for the hosts. 

Buckhurst Hill climb to seventeenth. 

Fifth place Little Oakley had only one defeat in nine, and another victory would take them level on points with the sides in second and third place- and close them to within a point of the leaders. Standing in their way were tenth place Concord Rangers, the Beachboys looking for a win which would take them back into the top seven- but with only one win in seven they certainly weren’t favourites.

It seemed we were going to end the night without a goal, and then Mekhi McKenzie broke the deadlock for the visitors, with only eighteen minutes remaining- and they held on to climb into the top seven. 

In the Velocity Cup, Brightlingsea Regent were at home to a rather youthful Bowers and Pitsea.

The hosts went down to ten men with the dismissal of Makhi Johnson-Reid just before the half hour, and went behind shortly afterwards, Max Noe with the Bowers goal. Depleted they may have been, but Regent weren’t giving up, and they drew level ten minutes into the second half, Ben Sargeant with the equaliser- and within a minute were ahead, Joseph Watson making it two-one. Eleven minutes from time Bowers struck back, Connor Grace levelling the tie, and off we went to a shootout, which Bowers won four-three. 

The winners are pictured, courtesy of the club.