Millers bury Bury, whilst the Gulls keep up the pressure

By Ian Townsend

We’ve two points between the top three after a day with few goals. It’s our Pitching In Isthmian North round up.


Aveley won two prizes this week, the Manager of the Month and AB1 Golden Gloves awards, and they certainly avoided a curse against Bury Town. The Millers are now unbeaten in ten, and have won their last six without conceding a single goal, courtesy of a four-nil home victory. Jon Benton and Alex Akrofi made it two-nil with goals in the fifteen minutes before half time, George Sykes made it three just before the hour, and Akrofi’s second of the game- along with a red card for Town goalkeeper Ben Mayhew- certainly killed off any unlikely Town comeback nine minutes from time. Image: Lambpix.

The Millers are a point clear of the top but we have a new side in second, Canvey Island getting back to winning ways against Heybridge Swifts. Swifts had only lost two of their last ten, both of those defeats coming against the other two of the top three, each by one goal to nil- but the Gulls doubled that, scoring two. Michael Finneran opened the scoring on twenty one minutes, Elliott Ronto doubled the home advantage eight minutes after the break, and that was that.

Stowmarket Town slipped to third after a goalless draw against Hullbridge Sports, but two points behind Aveley with a game in hand will still fancy their chances of regaining top spot in the near future.

Grays Athletic had suddenly gone goal mad, eleven in their last two matches before they travelled to Felixstowe and Walton United. They were less goal mad at the Seaside but still got the points, David Knight getting the only goal of the game and getting sent off in a game whch saw Athletic end the day with nine men, Ryan Sammons also seeing red. They end the day in fourth.

Dereham Town had recently gone off the boil, losing their last two- and indeed five of their last ten- but they got back to winning ways in a hard-fought victory against Tilbury. The Dockers had taken four points from their last six but got no more, as the Magpies did the double, coming from behind to win two-one. Roman Campbell gave the Dockers the lead early on, but just after the hour Ashton Fox equalised for the hosts before Rhys Logan got the winner from the spot- Harry Girling saw red for the Dockers.

Brentwood Town slipped to three points behind the play off places, although they have at least two games in hand over the sides above them. They travelled to Maldon & Tiptree and left with a point, Tom Richardson’s twenty third of the season bringing them level after Ade Cole had given the Jammers the lead from the spot just before the break.

Hashtag United were on the road to Romford, who had taken two points from forty eight- but Boro made it three from fifty one with a draw against their playoff chasing opponents. Tami Ogunnowo gave the hosts the lead on eleven minutes, Harry Haysom equalised on twenty five, and that was that.

AFC Sudbury got back to winning ways in midweek, and they were on the road to Great Wakering Rovers, who were perhaps buoyed by winning our Performance of the Month award for January, which they earned by defeating Canvey Island. Rovers lost four-two to the Yellows last time they met, but this time the two sides couldn’t manage a goal between them- perhaps they’d used up their full quota last time around.

Coggeshall Town welcomed Basildon United. The Seed Growers had only two wins from ten- and now it’s two from eleven after the Bees stung, grabbed the points and left. A Joe Wright double did the damage for United, and although Aryton Coley got one back with nine minutes remaining that was that. The Bees are now just a point behind their hosts.

Finally, Witham Town welcomed Barking as seventeenth played eighteenth. Their last meeting ended all-square, and so did this one, as neither side could score.

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Where next?

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