Motormen move closer to safety

Ware skipper Jon Stevenson fired a penalty high over the bar in the first half and it was the 63rd minute before substitute Bradley Wilkinson headed them into the lead from a corner.

When Elliot King made the most of a mistake by home keeper Dean Neil five minutes later Ware looked likely to win with ease.

But Luke Read’s header gave Redbridge hope in the 73rd minute and Jacob Cleaver salvaged the draw with his 18th of the season five minutes from time.

The Motormen are three points clear of bottom club Ilford and also have a game in hand. Ilford, who have only two matches left, were beaten 1-0 at Potters Bar, James Gershfield scoring with 11 minutes to go. That result also means that Harlow are safe.

Witham maintained their play-off charge with a 2-0 home win over Tilbury. Two goals in ten minutes either side of half-time from Rob Whitnell took his league tally to 22.

So Witham drew level on points with fifth-placed Heybridge and both sides have three matches left. Heybridge, though, are 28 ahead on goal difference.

Two points ahead of them both, with an extra match to play, are Aveley. They drew 1-1 at Wroxham with Alex Read’s 72nd-minute goal wiping out a penalty for the home side just before the interval, converted by Matt Daniels.

Thamesmead failed to strengthen their grip on second place. A 2-1 home defeat by Brentwood means that Maldon remain a point behind them and now have a game in hand.

Tyrus Gordon-Young gave Thamesmead a 35th-minute lead but Steve Butterworth levelled it before half-time and Neil Cousins nabbed the winner with 15 minutes left.

Cheshunt took a first-minute lead through Michael Deane and went on to run up a 5-1 home win over Waltham Abbey. It was 4-0 by half-time, with two goals from Corey Whitely and one from Mark Twumasi, and the Abbotts were down to ten men with the dismissal of Tom Bruno.

But James Peagram pulled one back soon after the interval and the visitors might have closed the gap further before Deane settled it with his second.