Lowestoft stay top- whilst Bury crash the top five

Our Pitching In Isthmian North Division fixtures began on Friday evening, when fifth place Heybridge Swifts looked to climb to third with victory at Witham Town. Swifts were unbeaten in ten matches, but they’d already lost against these opponents in September and lightning struck again, as did Luke Ige, the match winner in the previous match opening the scoring again- after just five minutes. He made it two-nil just before the half hour mark, and on the hour it was as good as game over, Deese Kasinga Madia making it three-nil. Town are up to twelfth.

Leaders Lowestoft Town hoped to at least hold onto their five point advantage as second bottom Grays Athletic made a long trip to the seaside. The Trawler Boys took until five minutes before half time to break through the Athletic rearguard, but break through they did, Harvey Sayer’s goal giving them an advantage. Sayer made things more comfortable for the hosts on sixty nine minutes, making it two-nil, and that was how it ended, Town holding onto that five point lead.

Second place Felixstowe and Walton United welcomed sixth place Basildon United. The Seasiders were three unbeaten, and had defeated the Bees the previous four times they’d met, and they were quickly ahead in this one, Joe Whight with the opener. That turned out to be the only goal of the game, and it kept the Seasiders on the heels of Lowestoft, whilst United slip to eighth. Felixstowe have now defeated United five times in a row. Image: Stefan Peck.

Bowers and Pitsea had been in fine form, losing only one of their last ten, and have won their last five at home. They welcomed struggling Ipswich Wanderers, and went ahead ten minutes into the second half, Matt Price moving into double figures for the season -his ten goals coming in his last ten matches. That turned out to be the only goal of the game, and it leaves the hosts in third- seven points away from the leaders, four above sixth place Swifts. Wanderers are seventeenth.

Brentwood Town, who started the weekend in fourth place, welcomed tenth place Walthamstow to the Arena. The Blues had only one defeat from their previous ten, whilst the visitors seemed to have hauled themselves back onto an even keel, losing only one of their last five. When the two sides met in East 17, Brentwood triumphed two-one, and it looked likely that we’d have another Blue triumph when George Sykes opened the scoring five minutes after half time- and particularly when the visitors went down to ten men, Jason Beck sent off. Twenty minutes from time Matt Cripps made it two-nil, and the Blues comfortably held onto that lead to seal victory.

Bury Town have roared up the table in recent weeks, and the Blues found themselves only three points away from a top five spot at kick off. Nine matches unbeaten, and with seven victories including five of the previous six, Town looked the real deal as promotion contenders and would have expected another three points as bottom side Stowmarket Town headed to Ram Meadow- and they went ahead on thirty seven minutes through Cemal Ramadan, and within two minutes were two up as Ramadan struck again. The next goal was crucial, and it went to the hosts, Ed Upson making it three against his former club, and they soon had a fourth, Lewis O’Malley making it four-nil. The visitors did get a goal back, Dylan Kirk scoring four minutes from time, but it was only a consolation- and Bury go fifth.

Maldon and Tiptree welcomed Brightlingsea Regent as eighth played ninth. The Jammers had seen a three match winning run come to an end against Brentwood Town last time out, whilst Regent had slipped from play off candidates to mid table after losing their last four, so both hoped to bounce back- and it was the hosts who struck first, Lewis Jaggs opening the scoring on nineteen minutes. Things soon got worse for Regent, as they were reduced to ten men, Billy Harris dismissed, and it was perhaps no surprise when Terrell Egbri made it two-nil just before half time. Regent went down to nine men when Bradley Russell saw red right the end, and that was that. The Jammers climbed to seventh- a first win over Regent in normal time since 2016.

New Salamis welcomed Redbridge to Coles Park, and the match was abandoned right at the end with the visitors two-one ahead. Details awaited.

Wroxham welcomed Enfield to the beautiful Broads. The Yachtsmen started the weekend in thirteenth place, four places and six points better off than their visitors, but they fell behind just before the break, Callum Taylor making the breakthrough for the E’s. That turned out to be the only goal of the game, a very much needed victory for the visitors, who climb to fifteenth.

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