Only one point for the top four as the nerves begin to show

Brentwood Town, with a three point lead at the top and with a fantastic goal difference, knew that they would hold top spot on Saturday night unless Brightlingsea Regent did their best impression of Bon Accord against Bury Town- but the Blues very much wanted a win at Maldon and Tiptree. The Jammers hadn’t defeated these opponents in six attempts, but they went ahead on thirteen minutes, Amine Sassi the scorer, and twenty minutes from time they added a second, Chris Millar doubling their lead. That was that, most of the eight hundred and forty seven watching on left delighted- and as it turned out Brentwood held onto their three point lead. Image- we suspect- from Roy Warner. 

Second place Bury Town played in our match of the day as they headed to fifth place Brightlingsea Regent. Bury had three points to make up on the leaders, Regent had a six point advantage over Tilbury in the hunt for fifth place, and this match was crucial for both sides as we entered the last seven matches of an enthralling North Division campaign. Regent won two-one at Ram Meadow in December, so Bury were looking for revenge- but it was the Taydal faithful who were delighted when Fletcher Alexander-Hubbard but Regent ahead only eight minutes from time. What Regent had, they held- and they move to within seven points of top spot, whilst bury slip to third. 

Felixstowe and Walton United, with only one win from four, had slipped to four points away from the summit- and had a tough task facing them as Gorleston made the trip to the Martello Ground. The Greens were fourteen matches unbeaten and had won six in a row, but United had by far the best home record in the Division, having lost only once, and were determined to keep it. The Seasiders were ahead on eight minutes, Charlie Warren the scorer, but two minutes from time the Greens drew level, Abby Matthews the scorer- and that extended their unbeaten record to fifteen matches, whilst Felixstowe climbed to second. 

Gorleston are ninth. 

Image from Stefan Peck. 

Fourth place Waltham Abbey were six points away from the summit, and on the road, Witham Town their hosts. The Abbotts were twelve games unbeaten- only Gorleston were on a better run- whilst Witham won for the first time in five matches, defeating Heybridge Swifts in midweek, and were ten points away from the top five. After a goalless first half the Abbotts made the breakthrough two minutes into the second, Nicholas Brown with the opener, but Town drew level with twenty two minutes remaining, Kamani Mcfarlane scoring from the spot- and they went ahead six minutes later, Michael Bareck putting them in the driving seat. That was that, and Witham are seventh- but ten points away from the top five. 

Tilbury, in sixth, had a six point margin between themselves and the top five at kick off, but had won three of their previous four to reignite their play off hopes. The Dockers welcomed a Wroxham side who saw a three match unbeaten run come to an end against Brightlingsea Regent last weekend, and who needed the points for entirely different reasons, only two points above the drop zone. Tilbury took the lead with only fifteen minutes left, Darren Phillips the scorer, and they held onto it, staying sixth- but still six points away from the top five. The Yachtsmen are now only one point above the drop zone. 

Walthamstow had gone four matches without a win, and as a consequence had slipped ten points away from the top five. Stow welcomed Grays Athletic to East London, Grays having won three in a row- and Elliott Sartorius gave the visitors the lead in this one, opening the scoring just before the half hour mark. Sartorius struck again seven minutes from time, and that’s four wins in a row for Athletic- in twelfth, five without a win for Stow, who slip to eighth. 

Tenth place Redbridge took their five match unbeaten run on the road to play the side three points and one place behind them, Cambridge City. The Motormen had won four of those five matches and were in fine form, whilst City had lost their previous two- but they did defeat Redbridge in East London just before Christmas, and they went ahead in this one, too, Jack Thompson scoring seven minutes into the second half. That was that- City level on points with their visitors. 

Mildenhall Town looked almost safe, but they welcomed a side who were anything but safe, Sporting Bengal United making the trip. United started the day eight points from safety this looked to be the very definition of a must-win, but they were quickly behind, Jarid Robson scoring the first North goal of the afternoon only two minutes in. Robson struck again just after the hour to make it two-nil, and with seventeen minutes remaining Jordon Nicholson made it three. Hall are twelve points clear of the bottom four, United still eight points from salvation- but they have only six matches left to recover that deficit. 

Newmarket Town hosted Haringey Borough in a match which convention would describe as a six pointer! The Jockeys kicked off two points above the drop zone- and the club occupying that last relegation place were, of course, Borough, so the visitors very much need to win- and they had a perfect start, Derek Asamoah opening the scoring on ten minutes. Seven minutes later it was two-nil to the visitors, Jorge Djassi-Sambu doubling their advantage, but the Jockeys hit back to halve the arrears ten minutes before half time, Jacob Mingay the scorer. Nine minutes from time the hosts struck again, Stan Leech the scorer, and the visitors had to complete the match with ten men after Michael O’Donaghue was dismissed. Two-two was the final score, the Jockeys climbing a place as a consequence. 

Third from bottom and without a win since Saturday October 19th, Basildon United hosted Heybridge Swifts. The Bees were seven points from safety and looked to be pushing at the doors of the last-chance saloon, but they should have been boosted by the fact that Swifts were also in terrible form, having gone nine matches without a win. Swifts, however, took the lead on nineteen minutes courtesy of Jack Adlington-Pile- but they weren’t ahead for long, Nathan Best quickly equalising for the hosts. Three minutes from time the Bees back luck continued as Andrew Fennell scored for Swifts to make it two-one, and in added time Charlie Stimson added a third to seal victory. United haven’t defeated Swifts in nine attempts. 

Finally, Concord Rangers welcomed bottom side Ipswich Wanderers, the visitors thirteen points from safety with seven matches remaining- and seeing a three match unbeaten run come to an end against Grays in midweek. The Beachboys went ahead on twelve minutes, Sherquan Toussaint continuing his fine form with his seventh goal in his last nine matches- and they added a second ten minutes from time courtesy of Simo Mbonkwi. New arrival George Sykes came on from the bench to make it three-nil three minutes from time, and quickly there was a fourth, Frank Craik- another sub- scoring that. Rangers are fourteenth, Wanderers now have only six matches to close that thirteen point gap.