The Three R's teach Hereford a lesson!

Heybridge Swifts, who became the first side to defeat Pitching In Isthmian North leaders AFC Sudbury in midweek, welcomed a big name to Scraley Road, and that’s no bull! Hereford, mid table in National League North, had been particularly good in cup competitions this season, reaching the First Round of the FA Cup- but they were demolished in the FA Trophy! Ross Wall (pictured) put Swifts ahead with his head on the half hour, and after the break we had a completed Heybridge version of the three R’s, as Rhys Henry made it two and Rob Harvey added a third. Wall even managed to have a goal disallowed for offside, such was the home dominance. Swifts are channelling the memories of the side who delivered their Cup and Trophy runs of 2017-18- and they aren’t finished yet!

Image from Alan Edmonds- and there are more of them here.

Banbury United, mid table in National League North, played host to Stowmarket Town. Stow may be two steps lower they were in fabulous form, fourteen games unbeaten- but they couldn’t make it fifteen, losing six-nil.

Right, back to the bread and butter of the Pitching In Isthmian North.

Leaders AFC Sudbury- who lost for the first time this season in midweek- were on the road to face their nearest challengers, long-term leaders Lowestoft Town. Both sides were trying not to end up with successive defeats. Of course, when the opener arrived it went to Nnamdi Nwachuku for the Yellows, the striker with his twenty sixth of the season and scoring for the eleventh successive match. Seven hundred and twenty four watched on, and most of them would have been miserable when Jake Turner made it two-nil with fourteen minutes left. They’d have been even more unhappy when Chris Henderson was dismissed for the Trawler Boys, and that was the last significant action. Sudbury move four points ahead.

Hashtag United headed to Parkside to take on Grays Athletic. The visitors had won four of their last five, their only defeat coming at the hands of Sudbury, whilst Grays had slipped to seventh after two defeats- to the top two- in their last four matches, so perhaps the Tags were favourites, and they went ahead on twenty one minutes, otherwise known as Teniola time, Alex with the opener. That lead departed eight minutes before the break, Aron Gordon levelling, but the Tags regained the advantage from the spot just before the hour, Greg Halford converting. The match then sparked into life right at the end, Callum Watts equalising for Athletic before the Tags went straight up the other end and Teniola scored again- and that one was the winner. Hashtag stay third, but go level with on points with Lowestoft Town.

Felixstowe and Walton United knew they could climb as high as third if they could win at Hullbridge Sports, but the first half was goalless. The second half wasn’t goalless for long, Zak Brown striking for the Seasiders on fifty three minutes, and the visitors doubled their advantage ten minutes from time, Sam Ford with that one. Sonny Dutton got one back for Sports right at the end, but it didn’t help, and Felixstowe go fourth.

Bury Town travelled to face a side who parted company with their manager on Friday night- Great Wakering Rovers. Town had taken seven points from their last nine, and have striker Cemal Ramadan in his usual fine form, with sixteen goals this season- and it took him only five minutes to add a seventeenth and put his side ahead. Rovers levelled just before the break, Callum Boylan with the equaliser, but five minutes from time Joe Hood delivered an away winner. That’s seven without a win in League and Velocity Cup for Rovers, and Town in seventh.

New Salamis were on the road to face fast-improving Maldon & Tiptree. The Jammers seemed to have turned their season around, winning their last two and scoring seven goals in the process, and they went ahead just before the half hour, Scott Kemp with the goal- but the visitors levelled two minutes before the break, Albert Adu with the equaliser, and then went ahead, Louie Remi scoring just before the whistle. Six minutes after the restart Salamis then silenced the home crowd once more, Derek Asamoah with his thirteenth of the campaign, and they added a fourth soon afterwards, Taufee Skandari playing havoc with our autocorrect. Adu then got another to make it five, and although Roman Campbell did get a late goal for the Jammers it made little difference. Salamis are up to eighth.

East Thurrock United saw their good run come to a crashing halt as they conceded four to Maldon last time out, and would have hoped that they were back on an even keel as Brian Moses put them ahead at bottom side Coggeshall Town- but the Seed Growers, without a league win all season, had other ideas. Nathan Fuma quickly drew them level, and eleven minutes before the break Josh Hughes put them ahead. Two minutes into the second half and the Rocks had a penalty, converted by Harry Hope, and it was advantage the away side once more when Moses made it nine goals from fourteen Rocks matches to put his side ahead once more. The Rocks gave themselves a cushion when Ollie Spooner made it four-two, and held on for a comfortable victory.

Witham Town welcomed Basildon United, and went ahead after ten minutes, Ramiah Mills with his seventh of the campaign. They couldn’t hold onto their advantage until half time, Callum Fitzer sending the Bees buzzing into the break, and it was the visitors who stung next, Fitzer again finding the back of the hosts net with fourteen minutes left. That was that, the Bees now only a point behind their hosts.

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