Tags run ends as Stow make it five in a row- and the Jammers hit the Trawler Boys for five

Our leaders, Hashtag United, took a nine point lead and a twenty one match winning run on the road to Stowmarket Town, but that remarkable run came to an end with a thump. Stow, who had won their previous four, were ahead after just two minutes- Ed Upson with the goal- and just before the break made it two, Jack Ainsley doubling their advantage. Upson made the lead unassailable with his second of the afternoon just before the hour mark, and although Jermaine Francis continued his scoring streak- six goals in three matches- to pull one back just before the end, that was that. Congratulations to Stow, but congratulations still to the Tags for delivering the longest winning streak in the top ten levels of English football so far this season. Image from Nashy Photo.

Second place AFC Sudbury were also on the road, and faced the task of overturning a resurgent Gorleston, the Greens seven games unbeaten and closing in on guaranteed safety. Nnamdi Nwachuku delivered his customary goal- his forty second of the campaign- but the Greens were soon level, Connor Deeks with the equaliser six minutes before the break. Right at the end, Nwachuku made it FORTY THREE, and the Yellows closed the gap to six points.

Lowestoft Town were on the road too, travelling to Maldon & Tiptree. The Jammers aren’t yet safe, but they opened a ten point gap over the bottom four with a fabulous win over our third place side, coming from behind and hitting five goals. Maldon went ahead on five minutes through Toluwani Ayoola, but within two minutes Adam Hipperson had equalised from the spot and just before the break Jake Reed gave the Trawler Boys the advantage. Ten minutes after the restart the hosts levelled, Michael Salako with his first goal for the club, and the Jammers then took control, Louie Remi putting them ahead for the first time and Ayoola adding a fourth. Reed then brought the deficit back to one goal, but the last word went to Terrell Egbri, who got a fifth just before the end.

Brentwood Town are on fine run, making it only one defeat in eleven with victory over Grays Athletic- and damaged their visitors play off hopes at the same time. It took until fifteen minutes from time for the deadlock to be broken, Connor Hogan with the opener- and just before the end George Craddock made it two. Athletic are down to seventh, the third of three clubs tied on fifty nine points.

A much changed East Thurrock United side welcomed Heybridge Swifts to Rookery Hill. The Rocks have lost their previous three, and that run increased to four as Swifts scored the only goal of the game in the first half. Lee Noble was the man who got it, and only goal difference holds his side outside the top five.

Bury Town and New Salamis played out a two-two draw- although Salamis ended the match with nine men. Darren Mills gave Town the lead after a quarter of an hour, only for Nathan Mandla to level nine minutes before the break. Felix Ahorlu entered the fray for the visitors at half time, put his side ahead twenty minutes later, and was sent off ten minutes after that- he certainly packed an awful lot into half an hour. Cemal Ramadan levelled for the hosts, scoring from the spot twelve minutes from time, and there was still time for Jandir Jose to join Ahorlu in the changing room earlier than planned.

Great Wakering Rovers need to enact something of a great escape, and it looked as if they’d take three points against Wroxham- but they had to settle for one. Jack Thompson put Rovers ahead early on, and they doubled their advantage ten minutes before the break, Anjeolaoluwa Adamu making it two. Josh Hazell halved the arrears just before the break, but the next word went to the hosts, Freddie Moriarty restoring their two goal advantage. Just before the hour Ryan Curtis pulled a goal back for the visitors, and with fifteen minutes to go the Yachtsmen had the last word, Hazell earning them a point.

Witham Town, five points clear of the bottom four, had the chance to make that margin larger still as bottom side Hullbridge Sports arrived. Town had lost three of their last four after a revival in mid February, but their visitors had lost nine of their last ten and looked absolutely doomed, and fell behind on thirteen minutes, Farai Tsingano opening the scoring. Fifteen minutes later Darius Guinea levelled for the visitors, and it turned out that the scoring stopped there. Sports remain nine from safety.

Finally, second bottom Coggeshall Town welcomed the side two places and four points above them, Tilbury. The Seed Growers found themselves nine points from safety, and the gap was five points for the Dockers, so the match was critical for both sides. The Dockers went ahead early on, Thomas Saitek opening the scoring on twelve minutes, but the hosts levelled from the spot just before the break, Darnell Kithambo holding his nerve.

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