Trawler Boys sail to the top- whilst the Yellows slay yet another giant

Lowestoft Town travelled to Wroxham for the first time this week- they are back there in the FA Trophy on Saturday- and the Trawler Boys sailed to the top of the table with a comfortable three-nil win. Each of their three goals came after the break, and came after they had been reduced to ten men by the dismissal of David Hinton. Another former Magpie, Adam Hipperson, got the first two- on fifty three and sixty minutes, the second from the spot- and Jake Reed added the third seven minutes from time. That’s five wins from five for Town, and a two point lead at the top.

Hashtag United ensured that Maldon & Tiptree’s terrible start to the campaign continued, and moved up to third in the process. Greg Halford got both goals for the Tags, one in each half, as the Jammers remain without a point at the bottom of the table.

Tilbury would have climbed into the top five with a win over Hullbridge Sports, but the visitors, without a win all season, came good in style, triumphing three-nil at Chadfields. George Smith gave them a first half lead, before Anisius Lewis added two more- and Alex Clark was sent off for the hosts six minutes from time to compound their misery.

East Thurrock United and Brentwood Town met at Rookery Hill. The Rocks had lost every league match so far this season, but they picked up their first three points of the campaign when Hope Harry got the only goal of the game just after the hour mark.

Basildon United and Great Wakering Rovers both needed some points after only one win each this season, and the Bees got them all with a two-one win. Michael Salako gave them the lead from the spot after eighteen minutes, and when Shane Temple made it two ten minutes later looked well on the way to three points. Rovers pulled a goal back with three minutes remaining, James White with it, but the equaliser didn’t arrive and the Bees are up to ninth.

In the Emirates FA Cup, AFC Sudbury welcomed St Albans City after their one-one draw on Saturday, and the Yellows continued their superb form with a hard fought two-one win- even though they played the last twenty two minutes of the match with ten men after Ben Hunter’s dismissal. They were two goals up by then, Sakariya Hassan and Josh Stokes on fifty three and sixty minutes, and although the Saints quickly got one back after Hunter’s enforced departure the Yellows held on for another famous FA Cup victory. Sudbury knocked out two higher division clubs in their run to the First Round last season, and you wouldn’t bet against them reaching the promised land once more.

Image from Steve Screech.

Heybridge Swifts travelled to face Braintree Town after ending their first match one-one, and this time the Iron were two much for our side, winning two-one. The home sides two goals came before the break, but Ross Wall struck back soon after the restart. Sadly the equaliser, however, was beyond the visitors.

The FA Trophy saw Gorleston welcome Coggeshall Town, and the Seed Growers triumphed, but it took a penalty shootout for them to do it. Christy Finch gave the home side the lead on nineteen minutes, only for Daniel Ogunleye to equalise for the visitors before the break- and that was that, before Town triumphed seven-six from the spot.