Newson sets Swifts on course for rout

Ben Newson started the rout in the fourth minute, Luke Callander made it 2-0 on 22 minutes and Newson quickly added his second. Then came a burst of three goals in five minutes, two from Michael Cheek and one from Callander.

Newson became the first of the trio to complete his hat-trick as he made it 7-0 right on half-time and Cheek got his third three minutes after the restart. It was Callander’s turn in the 55th minute and he went one better with his fourth goal in the 65th minute, taking the total into double figures.

At that stage Ilford’s 77-year-old league record of 15 goals was under threat but Swifts settled for one more, from Solomon Ofori in the 88th minute, and Redbridge almost had the last word when George Monger hit the bar.

Heybridge won 8-0 at Redbridge earlier in the season and the 19-0 ‘aggregate’ was a league record. See the story posted last night for the statistical details.

Second-placed Swifts are now the league’s top scorers with 63 but they are still ten points behind neighbours Maldon, whose visit to Soham was one of six postponed matches in the division. Redbridge have let in 60 goals, the worst record in the league, but are two places off the bottom.

The day got off to a bad start for Chatham when both their goalkeepers reported sick. Winger Garry Tilley had to man the posts and could not prevent third-placed visitors Grays cruising to a 4-1 win.

Defender Junior Baker (pictured, in blue, by Gavin Ellis/TGS Photo) headed a sixth-minute opener and scored again in the 34th minute. Two in three minutes just after the hour from Jared Small and Joao Carlos made sure of the points before Liam Hickey managed a consolation.

Potters Bar edged back into the top five despite letting a 2-0 lead slip at home to Needham Market on a day of mixed fortunes for Boreham Wood loanee Harvey Scott-Morris.

He gave the Scholars an early lead and struck again with 20 minutes left. But Rhys Henry and Ollie Fenn levelled the scores and Scott-Morris was sent off in added time.

The Sudbury revival went on as they came from 2-0 down to beat Harlow 3-2 and make it ten points from four games which have lifted them into mid-table.

Hector Mackie struck twice in the first 16 minutes for the visitors. Leon Antoine pulled one back with a header six minutes before the interval, Tom Cutts equalised in the 73rd minute and Antoine won it with five minutes left.