Bury and Felixstowe take home advantage- whilst Brentwood defeat the Trawler Boys, but can't spoil the party

The final Saturday of the regular Pitching In Isthmian North season didn't come with a great deal to decide. We already knew the champions, and we already knew that Stowmarket Town were relegated, the only club to go down due to the sad demise of East Thurrock United. All that was outstanding was to find out who would take home advantage in the forthcoming Play Offs.

Second place Bowers & Pitsea had a two point advantage over Bury and Felixstowe at kick off, but a significantly poorer goal difference than both clubs, so needed to win at Wroxham to guarantee second place. The Yachtsmen, however, had other ideas, and a goal in each half for Ryan Hawkins gave them three points and saw Bowers slip to fourth, a trip to the seaside their reward.

Bury Town were on the road to in-form Redbridge. The Blues had lost only one of their last twenty four matches, but the Motormen had won five of their last six and hoped to spring a surprise, and were ahead at the break, Solomon Ogunwomoju scoring after just eight minutes. The second half saw Bury bounce back quite quickly, Ollie Cancer equalising only three minutes after the restart and Cemal Ramadan getting what proved to be the winner five minutes later. Bury finish second, and will host Brentwood Town in midweek.

Felixstowe and Walton United had spent most of this year vying for top spot with Lowestoft Town, but found themselves in fourth place after a run of one win from five. They wanted to get back to winning ways before the play offs, and they made New Salamis final match of the season fairly miserable, hitting the North Londoners for six. Ben Fowkes opened the scoring on seventeen minutes for the Seasiders, and although the Salamina levelled ten minutes before the break, Joe Waight with the goal, Sam Ford quickly put the hosts ahead once more. The second half was one way traffic, Josh Mayhew adding the third, Fowkes scoring two more to take the match ball, and Billy Holland getting number six and securing a home tie with Bowers. Image courtesy of Stefan Peck.

Brentwood Town ended the campaign in fifth, but they also ended it with victory against the champions, and will travel to Bury Town in the Play Off Semi Final. The Blues headed to Lowestoft ready to impair the Trawler Boys party, and they went ahead on seventeen minutes, Andy Freeman with the opener. Lowestoft hot shot Jake Reed’s thirty fifth of the season drew them level just before the break, but fourteen minutes from time Mekhi McKenzie sent the visitors into the play offs with a fine victory under their belts.

Headline image from Shirley Whitlow.

Brightlingsea Regent were in superb form, with only one defeat- and eight wins- from their previous ten, and looked for three more points as Gorleston came to call- but they ended up with none. A red card for Regent keeper Lewis Green was followed by a penalty converted by the Greens Luke Johnson, and that turned out to be the only goal of the match. Goelsteon end the season in tenth, and have a second Norfolk Senior Cup Final in a row to look forward to.

Basildon United and Heybridge Swifts met at the TLM Environmental Stadium, and Swifts left with the points. An own goal gave them the lead just before the break, and although Samir Ali levelled for the Bees with seventeen minutes left, that left enough time for Kieran Jones to get a winner.

Maldon & Tiptree went three-nil up against Witham Town, and must have thought that victory was sewn up, yet somehow Town came back to win four-three! George Smith, Matt Yates and Louis Britton provided the three goal lead, but an own goal got the visitors back into the match just before the break, and the second half saw two from Josh Osude draw the visitors level, before, deep in added time, Andrew Sesay got a Witham winner.

Grays Athletic lost a two goal lead against Ipswich Wanderers only to get a winner right at the end. A Charlie Stimson double gave them that lead, but Jamie Eaton-Collins and Jamal Goodward looked to have sealed a point for the visitors, before Jack Wilson got an Athletic winner three minutes from time.

Finally, we had a bottom two clash at Bishop’s Stortford, as Enfield, who had lost nine of their last ten, welcomed Stowmarket Town, who were still without a win all season. After a goalless first half the E’s ran riot in the second, Robert Clark, Adam Vyse, and a Sam Bantick double delivering a four-nil victory.

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