Wins for the top three- Blues are up to fourth, and Swifts break into the top five
Bury, Seasiders and Witham retain their one-two-three, late Brentwood go fourth, and we’ve wins for Swifts, Regent, Stow, Jammers and City as the bottom six all lose
Our big match at the top of Pitching In Isthmian North saw leaders Bury Town travel to Tilbury, the Blues aware that they had Felixstowe breathing down their necks so probably couldn’t afford to slip up. The customary Cemal Ramadan goal-m his sixteenth of the season- saw Bury take the lead on nineteen minutes, and what they had, they held. Town stay top, the Dockers slip to sixth.
Felixstowe and Walton United, having won every match but one at home this season (that one was a draw), looked to keep up the pressure on Bury Town at the top by defeating Waltham Abbey. The Seasiders went ahead on nineteen minutes, Willie Clemons with his fourth of the season, and they made sure of the points thirteen minutes from time when Charlie Warren scored his customary goal- his twenty third of the season- to make it two-nil. They remain two points from the summit. Image from Stefan Peck.
Witham Town had a fine first half against Haringey Borough, Liam Whipps and Kamani Mcfarlane giving them a two-nil lead- and the start of the second half wasn’t bad either, as Freddie King took only two minutes to add a third. Eight minutes from time Matt Young got a goal back for Borough, but soon Witham had three points to go with their three goals.
Brentwood Town moved into the top five with victory at Cambridge City in midweek, and were on the road again, travelling to Newmarket Town. They went ahead just after the half hour courtesy of Daniel Ogunleye’s twentieth goal of the season, but sixteen minutes from time the Jockeys were awarded a spot kick, and Oscar Dean made no mistake. It seemed the sides would have to settle for a point apiece, but Connor Hogan decided otherwise, and three minutes into added time somehow found a winner- and sent his side up to fourth.
Heybridge Swifts away form this season has been terrific, and they went ahead at Mildenhall Town in first half added time, Mark Chidi opening the scoring. Twenty minutes from time Charlie Stimson made it two with his first goal for the club, and that was that, Swifts into the top five.
Cambridge City, searching for a first win in their new stadium, had what looked a difficult task as Grays Athletic came to call. City looked well on their way to getting that victory as George Smith (nine minutes) and Alex Warman (thirty five) made it two-nil at the break, but early in the second half Alejandro Machado made things interesting by halving the deficit for the visitors. There was no way back for Athletic, although they perhaps should have equalised from the spot, but City keeper James Philp had other ideas. Most of the five hundred and eighty seven watching on were able to celebrate three points, their side in sixteenth and with every side below them defeated.
After a goalless first half Brightlingsea Regent made an early breakthrough in the second half against Wroxham at North Road, Teddy Collis with his seventh goal in thirteen matches since returning to the club. That turned out to be the only goal of the game, and it leaves Regent in ninth.
Maldon and Tiptree, new ownership agreed, were looking for a sixth unbeaten match- and the Jammers went ahead against Ipswich Wanderers with only thirteen minutes left, Chris Millar with the goal. They had been down to ten men for twelve minutes by then, Darren Phillips dismissed, but there was no way back for Wanderers, who remain eight points from safety. The Jammers are up to thirteenth- but it might have been different had Wanderers not had an effort disallowed.
Walthamstow and Sporting Bengal United met in an East London derby. Stow were ahead after just a dozen minutes, Callum Ibe the scorer, but the visitors levelled in the early stages of the second half, a penalty with an as yet unknown scorer giving them parity. The match looked to have ended in a draw, but with three additional minutes played substitute Bilal Sayoud proved the matchwinner for the hosts, his late goal earning them three points. Eight hundred and five watched on, many of them there to celebrate the life of Kaylen Dennis, a Stow Under 23 player who passed away earlier this week. Our love and deepest condolences go out to Kaylen’s family and friends, and to all at the club.