Trawler Boys find a late winner- but the Yellows keep pace

Lowestoft Town lost their first league match of the season last weekend, and they suffered a poor start against second place Felixstowe and Walton United, George Clarke scoring for the visitors after just five minutes. The Seasiders held onto their lead for almost an hour, but they were undermined by a red card for Callum Bennett, and within ten minutes of his involuntary departure the hosts were level, Travis Cole with the goal. It looked as if the match was destined to end in a draw, before deep in added time the hosts were awarded a spot kick- and Adam Hipperson despatched it for his tenth goal of the season to keep his side five points clear. Image from Shirley Whitlow.

AFC Sudbury are their closest challengers, and the Yellows delivered another superb performance in walloping Wroxham five-one. Nnamdi Nwachuku is having another magnificent season, and put his side ahead on seven minutes. It was two-nil by the break, Josh Stokes doubling their advantage, and within six minutes of the restart Ben Hunter made it four. At that point Ryan Hawkins reduced the arrears with a penalty, but that just awoke Nwachuku once more, and he added two more for his second hat trick of the campaign- twenty one goals in eighteen matches so far as his side remain unbeaten. They Yellows are five points off the top, but have two games in hand.

Another two form sides met at Parkside, as fourth place Grays Athletic welcomed sixth place Heybridge Swifts. Only two points separated the two teams at start of play, and the gap remained the same at the end, after a one-one draw. Swifts went ahead on eighteen minutes, Ross Wall with his sixth of the season, but before the break George Win equalised for Athletic- and that was that. Grays are fourth, Swifts eighth.

Stowmarket Town travelled to take on managerless Coggeshall Town, and showed no mercy. The Seed Growers were still without a victory all season, whilst Stow had gone eleven matches without a defeat- and form showed, as the visitors crushed the hosts by five goals to nil, condemining them to slip to the bottom of the table. Ollie Sotoyinbo did most of the damage, scoring a hat trick, with Nathan Stewart adding a fourth and Reggie Lamb a last minute fifth.

East Thurrock United, six unbeaten and with four consecutive wins, made it seven and five t Great Wakering Rovers. The hosts went ahead early on, Eusebio Da Silva continuing his success in front of goal, but that just annoyed the visitors, who hit back with four. Ben Steward and Brian Moses put them ahead before the break, and Jack Hayes and Moses again added two more in the ten minutes after the restart. Reece Stringer got one back for Rovers, but that was that- although the hosts saw Sam Dowdridge depart with a red card late on. The Rocks close to within two points of the play off places.

Tilbury welcomed New Salamis to Chadfields. The Dockers had hit a bit of a rough patch and conceded eight goals in their last two League matches, and they were to lose again- Derek Asamoah and Albert Adu Donyinah scoring on seven and sixty minutes- the second putting them ahead once more after Darnell Kithambo’s equaliser for the Dockers. Salamis are eleventh, the Dockers three places- yet seven points- behind.

Witham Town had gone seven matches in all competitions without a victory- and had lost six of those- but they got back to form in style with a three-nil win over Gorleston. They were two-nil up at the break, Adam Vyse and Deese Madia scoring in the first twelve minutes- but were then given a much easier time of it as visiting keeper Jake Jessup saw red. Abdul Rasheed almost immediately made it three, and Town are twelfth.

Bottom side Maldon & Tiptree looked for their first win as they welcomed Basildon United- and they got it, too. Harvey Sayer gave the Jammers a perfect start, scoring twice within the first five minutes, and just before the half hour Lance Akins made it three-nil. The Bees did get one back from the spot in the closing stages- Tim Monsheju with that- but it was no more than a consolation.

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