Sudbury hit form at last

Lee Boylan gave them an early lead, Dave Cowley added another and Rhys Darg’s header made it 3-0 after only 15 minutes. Peter Maina netted the fourth on 24 minutes and Boylan struck again soon after half-time. Jacob Cleaver gave the Motormen a little consolation before Maina completed the six-hit in added time.

Leaders Maldon were defending the league’s only unbeaten record and its only perfect home record, and extended both runs in style by thrashing Wroxham 4-0.

Billy Sendall put them ahead on 25 minutes when the visitors failed to clear a corner and James Robinson made it 2-0 in the 52nd minute. Jamie Guy added two more, taking his league tally into double figures.

Heybridge, beaten 3-0 at Wroxham in midweek, reclaimed second place with five unanswered goals at bottom club Ware, who finished the game with nine men. All the damage was done when numbers were even, however. Michael Cheek’s long-range strike broke the deadlock on 32 minutes and Ben Newson added another before half-time.

Solomon Ofori and Luke Callander (pictured by Gavin Ellis/TGS Photo) doubled the lead again early in the second half, with Callander’s 13th league goal restoring his position as the top scorer in all three divisions. Tom Holdstock made it five before Charlie Moxon and Jamie Gillet were given marching orders. Ware remain four points adrift at the foot of the table.

Potters Bar came from behind to win 3-2 at Witham and reclaim third spot. A Tom Devaux header gave the hosts a half-time lead but Scholars turned it round within seven minutes of the restart through Josh Urquhart and James Gershfield, his 12th in the league. Liam Coles made it 3-1 on 72 minutes and Rob Whitnell gave Witham vain hope with a penalty six minutes from time.

Aveley are fourth after a 4-1 home win over Soham. Rashid Kamara’s third-minute opener for the Millers was answered in the ninth minute by Rob Mason, making Soham the first club in the league to notch 20 away goals. Danny Hopkins restored Aveley’s lead midway through the half, Jordan Cox made it 3-1 by the interval and Hopkins scored again in the 65th minute.

Grays dropped from second to fifth after their 1-1 draw at Waltham Abbey, who went ahead through James Peagram in the 62nd minute. Jared Small replied with ten minutes left.

Thamesmead are a point behind them after their 2-1 home win over struggling Harlow. All the goals came in the last 15 minutes of the first half. Ashley Probets put the hosts ahead with a long-range free-kick, Jake Cass replied and Lea Dawson hit the winner. It might have been more: Rob Carter hit the Harlow woodwork twice in the second half.

Tilbury are also well in the hunt, two points below the play-off spots. Jack Carlile scored from a 24th-minute corner to give the Dockers a 1-0 win at Ilford.

Needham maintained the league’s best away record, making it five wins out of six on the road with a 3-1 success at Cheshunt. Kieran Leabon put them ahead after only four minutes but Cheshunt replied an hour later through Lee Brennan. The Marketmen raised their game and Sam Newson set up goals for Ollie Fenn and Danny Bloomfield in the next ten minutes.

Waltham Forest scored three times in the game’s second quarter on their way to a 4-2 victory at Chatham. Arian Retkoceri, Adrian Clifton and Manu Dagher were the marksmen. Kevin Watson opened Chats’ account with a 75th-minute penalty but Manny Sackey made it 4-1, also from the spot. Jack Jeffery nabbed Chatham’s second deep into added time.