Draws for the top three- so Lowestoft remain four ahead

Felixstowe and Walton United kicked off at lunchtime, hoping that they’d have closed the gap on leaders Lowestoft to one point prior to the Trawler Boys match against Bury- but the Seasiders didn’t have the best of starts against Ipswich Wanderers, because on twenty minutes the visitors took the lead, Charlie Barker opening the scoring, and that was how it remained at half time. Things began to go wrong for Wanderers thirteen minutes into the second half when they saw Adam Dunnage dismissed- and the hosts levelled eight minutes later, Joshua Hitter delighting the majority of the five hundred and thirteen watching on. Could the ten men hold on? It turns out that they could- and that’s seven points they’ve taken from matches with our top two this season.

Image from Thomas Bradford.

New Salamis welcomed Basildon United to Coles Park for an early kick off, the Bees hoping to keep their increasingly remote play off hopes alive- but instead the Salamina applied insecticide to those hopes during the closing stages of the first half, Joe Waight continuing his fine recent form with goals on forty one and forty five minutes, taking his tally to thirteen for the season. It got worse for the Bees seven minutes into the second half, Ben Allen seeing red, and ten minutes from time the hosts added a third, Siao Blackwood making the points entirely safe. There was time for a fourth, too- and it saw Waight take the match ball deep in added time, making it four-nil.

Our match of the day undoubtedly saw leaders Lowestoft Town take on third place Bury Town. When the sides met at Ram Meadow just before Christmas, Bury delivered the Trawler Boys worst defeat of the season, a four-one thumping- but we certainly didn’t expect a repeat of that. It seems, however, that the first match had taken the entire goal ration in one go, and the eight hundred and thirty nine watching on were deprived of any more as the sides drew nil-nil.

Fourth place Bowers and Pitsea took a five match winning streak- and one defeat in ten- to Tilbury, where they faced Grays Athletic. It took them until first half added time to make a breakthrough, and that breakthrough came- unsurprisingly- from Matt Price, the forward scoring his fourteenth goal in twenty one matches to put the visitors ahead. The next goal took until added time at the end of the second half to arrive, and again it went to Bowers, Chris Millar doubling their advantage.

In fifth place at start of play, Brentwood Town were back on their own patch, Witham Town the visitors. Neither side could manage a goal, so the Blues stay fifth, but their advantage over sixth place Swifts is cut to five points.

Heybridge Swifts welcomed their noisy neighbours/Maldon and Tiptree travelled to take on their noisy neighbours (delete as applicable) as Scraley Road hosted the latest derby between the sides. A quick look at the table suggested that Swifts really had to win if their promotion chances weren’t to be severely hampered, and they went ahead just after the hour, Myles Anderson getting the opener. The opener? It was also the only goal, and they close to within five points of the top five.

Walthamstow welcomed Enfield to East London, the hosts looking to bounce back from two defeats, the visitors looking to bounce back from ten! Given those statistics it was perhaps unsurprising when Stow went ahead, Ezra Agyiri opening the scoring on twenty three minutes- but perhaps it was more surprising that this was the only goal. Walthamstow are eight points away from the top five.

Brightlingsea Regent have been in fine form of late, and were looking for their sixth win in seven as bottom side Stowmarket Town came to call. Given Stow’s calamitous campaign we expected a home win, and Regent took only three minutes to go ahead, Marley Andrews with the opener. In first half added time Teddy Collis continued his fine run of form with his fifth goal in seven matches to make it two-nil at the break, and that’s how it remained at the end. Regent are ten points away from the top five, but their form most be delighting the Taydal faithful.

Wroxham welcomed Gorleston in a mid table battle, and it was the Greens who broke the deadlock, Lewis Johnson putting them ahead just after the hour. Try as they might the Yachtsmen couldn’t find an equaliser, and the Greens remain ahead of them in eleventh.

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