Lowestoft lead once more!

Our North weekend started on Friday night, when Brentwood Town climbed to third after the three-two win over Maldon & Tiptree. The Blues went ahead after just ten minutes after Mekhi McKenzie scored his eleventh of the season, but their lead was soon cancelled out, George Smith levelling for the Jammers and taking his tally to twenty. Perhaps the match was lost for the visitors just two minutes later, with the dismissal of Lewis Jaggs, but it took until almost the hour mark before the hosts were able to make that advantage count, Andy Freeman restoring their advantage. Nineteen minutes from time Wyan Reid made it three, and a goal from Harry Honesty deep in added time wasn’t enough to earn the Jammers any reward for their efforts.

Lowestoft Town versus Felixstowe and Walton United was a match that we’re sure the Trawler Boys would have classed as a must win- defeat would have left them four points behind the Seaiders, after all. On that basis there would have perhaps been as much relief as joy when Kyle Haylock opened the scoring for the hosts on eight minutes, a lobbed finish over the keeper, and the same again when they made it two-nil with seventeen minutes left, Sam Johnson doubling their advantage. That was that, and most of the nine hundred and seventy one watching on would have been delighted as the Trawler Boys went two points clear at the top.

Image from Shirley Whitlow.

Bowers and Pitsea welcomed Bury Town, fifth v fourth. The visitors were unbeaten in seventeen matches, but that run ended as the hosts took the points. The Price was most definitely right as Freddie Price set up Matt Price to open the scoring four minutes into the second half, his twelfth in nineteen matches since joining the club- and that turned out to be the only goal. Whilst it didn’t change the positions of the two clubs, it did see Bowers open a seven point gap over the chasing pack.

Heybridge Swifts found themselves seven points from a play off spot at kick off against Grays Athletic, so victory was a must- and they went ahead midway through the first half, Ross Wall with the opener. Wall got the second goal of the game, too, on fifty three minutes, and the goalscoring action ended there, sending Swifts into sixth- but still seven points away from the top five.

Walthamstow looked to narrow the six point gap between themselves and fifth place as they played host to Brightlingsea Regent, but it was Regent who made the breakthrough in the early stages of the second half, Jake Thompson opening the scoring. Eleven minutes from time the visitors made quite sure of the points, as Teddy Collis made it three in four matches since his arrival. Walthamstow slip to seventh.

Ipswich Wanderers took on another of our play off hopefuls, Basildon United, the Bees with a seven point gap to make up at kick off, albeit with a game in hand. The visitors finally made a breakthrough just before the hour, Callum Fitzer with the opener, but that sparked a Wanderers fightback, and they soon levelled through Rashid Salau before going ahead, Zach Pedro making it two-one. It was a lead they held, and they open up a nineteen point gap between themselves and the drop zone.

Gorleston welcomed Enfield to the seaside, the Greens letting Norwich City season ticket holders in for free- and any visiting Canaries would have been delighted when Henry Pollock gave the Greens the lead, and less joyous when Sam Bantick quickly equalised. The Greens restored their lead six minutes before the break, George Keys with the goal, and they gave themselves breathing space when Craig Parker added a third with seventeen minutes remaining. That breathing space became larger still when Abby Matthews made it four-one, and that’s how it ended, the Greens in eleventh, the E’s in eighteenth.

New Salamis welcomed Stowmarket Town to Coles Park, and welcomed a goal after only four minutes, Cem Poyraz opening the scoring, the tenth goal Stow had conceded this week. It was two-nil twelve minutes before half time, and three-nil four minutes later, Kyle Lynch and Christos Batzelis increasing the advantage. Five minutes into the second half the fourth arrived, Albert Adu with it, and they soon saw Joe Waight score a fifth, before the visitors finally got on the scoresheet twenty minutes from time, Josh Buckles with the consolation.

New Essex Senior Cup winners Redbridge were back on their own patch and waving a large, shiny trophy at all comers as they welcomed Wroxham to East London. Congratulations- again- to the Motormen, but they didn’t welcome three points nor any goals- neither side managed that, nil-nil the final score.

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