Jammers go four clear - on a day when it was better to play away

Leaders Maldon and Tiptree didn’t have it all their own way as they took on Mildenhall Town, but in the end the Jammers delivered the narrowest of victories at the Riverside Stadium. The only goal of the game arrived just before the hour, and it arrived from the spot; and indeed the match was a tale of two penalties. The first, just before the break, went to the hosts, but Jammers keeper Elliot Justham made a fine save to keep the score level. On fifty seven minutes a handball gave Freddie Sears a similar chance, and he took it, scoring his twelfth goal of the season and claiming all three points.

Witham Town travelled to Lowestoft Town, and the visitors took all three points in a frantic finale. The match looked to be heading towards a goalless draw, and then with only thirteen minutes to go Ernest Okoh put Witham ahead. The Trawler Boys did their best to respond, but their chances departed deep in added time when Owen Bellamy delivered a second for the visitors, who are up to twelfth.

Brightlingsea Regent’s surprisingly poor start to the season continued, as Grays Athletic arrived at the Taydal before leaving with the points. The hosts went down to ten men with twenty one minutes left, skipper Charlie Durling dismissed, and they held out for only eleven more minutes before Sam Bantick, on from the bench, scored the winner. Grays are up to fourteenth, whilst Regent are second from bottom.

Brantham Athletic entered the final two minutes of their match with Tilbury looking as if they were facing defeat, and then a minute or so later looked as if they were destined for three points, but ended up with only one! The Dockers went ahead at Brantham Leisure Centre on twenty seven minutes, Lester Ward with the opening goal, and looked almost certain of three points until Nidal Berri levelled with two minutes to go. A minute later Berri struck again, and surely that was that- but in added time Tilbury grabbed a point, Luke Reeve delivering the equaliser. Athletic stay bottom- Tilbury are four places better off. 

We had Four North Division sides in Velocity Cup Second Round action. 

Bowers and Pitsea were in fine form, but faced a stern test, Newmarket Town travelling to the Len Salmon- and it was a test that the hosts narrowly failed. The travelling Jockeys went ahead on three minutes, Josh Coulson delivering the opener, and although Joe Poxon levelled fifteen minutes later the visitors quickly took control, Stan Leech and Josh Lee making it three-one at the break. On sixty five minutes it was four-one to Town, Lee scoring his second of the match, but the hosts then awoke, or rather substitute John Elongo provided a wake up call, as he made it two-four on seventy nine minutes and then three-four on eighty three. Seven minutes of frantic effort couldn’t find the hosts an equaliser, and Newmarket speed through to Round Three. Image from the visitors. 

Stanway Rovers were the hosts for Takeley, and it seemed as if we were off to a penalty shootout as ninety minutes arrived without a goal. Sadly for the visitors, a goal did arrive one minute later, and it went to George Smith, sending Rovers through.