Stow go top- and the remarkable Sports recovery continues

Six of our eight scheduled matches went ahead, rather in contrast with what happened in the Division above, and we’re going to start our round up at the bottom. Why, you may be asking- and goodness we’re going to tell you, as Hullbridge Sports climbed out of the bottom two- and indeed out of the bottom three- by taking Romford to the cleaners at Mayesbrook Park.

Sports have been on a roll of late, with only one defeat in their last six, and showed their confidence by going three goals up in the first half, a Joe Gregory double followed by a first of the afternoon from Demaray Anyadike. Romford pulled one back just after the break, Afolabi Soyemi-Ololade giving them hope, but that hope lasted only four minutes before Gregory claimed his hat trick and made it four for Sports. A second from Anyadike just before the hour made it five, and that was that. Sports climb to seventeenth, Boro don’t have a win in four months.

With Aveley’s match being blown away on Friday night Stowmarket Town knew they’d go top with victory at Great Wakering Rovers, and they played their part to perfection. Reginald Thompson-Lambe opened the scoring after just three minutes, Joe Jefford doubled the score just before the break, and after a goalless second half Stow hit the summit.

Canvey Island needed to be ready to pounce if Stowmarket slipped up, and the Gulls took the lead against Bury Town six minutes before the break, Bradley Sach with the opener. Just after the hour Michael Finneran was next to breach the Town rearguard, and Sach got another eleven minutes from time to make quite sure of the points. Evans Kouassi, who had gone an uncharacteristic four matches without a goal, got back into the groove with number four seven minutes from time- his twenty third of the campaign. That was that, the Gulls up to second.

Grays Athletic welcomed Heybridge Swifts, and after seventy five minutes without a goal from either side Aron Gordon broke the deadlock in the seventy sixth, his fifth of the campaign. That was the only goal of the game, and it sees Athletic close to within four points of the top three.

Brentwood Town took advantage of Dereham Town’s rain-enforced absence by moving above them into fifth place. The Blues faced the Bees, travelling to Basildon United, and were quickly in command, Rob Harvey putting them ahead on thirteen minutes and Tom Richardson- with his twenty fifth of the campaign- making it two soon afterwards. Joe Wright made it interesting by halving the visitors lead twenlve minutes from time, but it was interesting for just one minute before Richardson struck again to make it three-one. That was that.

Hashtag United’s promotion charge has slowed in recent weeks, with them losing three of their last six. They hosted Tilbury, and went ahead eleven minutes after the break, Joni Vukaj with his first goal of the campaign. That turned out to be the only goal of the match, and it sees the Tags up to seventh, four points behind fifth place Brentwood.

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