Trawler Boys stay top- but only on goal difference!

Bury Town, in third place, welcomed the recent conquerors of leaders Lowestoft Town, Ipswich Wanderers. Town have been in magnificent form, with six wins in a row and nine wins in ten, and they went ahead in this one on twelve minutes, Ollie Canfer’s sixth goal in thirteen matches opening the scoring- and it was quickly two-nil, Max Maughn taking only four more minutes to make it two-nil. It was three-nil and looked to be game over nine minutes before the break, Ethan Mayhew heading home, but Wanderers then got a goal back, Jamie Eaton-Collins leaving them with twenty seven minutes to mount a salvage job. On seventy eight minutes the visitors got another, Adam Dunnage pulling it back to three-two, and the home fans were stunned when the visitors drew level, Eaton-Collins making an Eaton-Mess of the Town defence when making it three-three with three minutes to go. Could anyone get a winner? They could, and it was the hosts. A minute into added time Mayhew somehow managed to make it four-three, and this time they held on to take three points. The seven hundred and sixty nine watching on will have bitten their fingernails down to their elbows!

Enfield was the destination for second place Felixstowe & Walton United- or rather Bishop’s Stortford was the destination, as that’s the E’s home base. After a goalless first half the Seasiders struck almost immediately, Andre Hassanally- back with the club after half a season at Maldon- having a perfect debut- but it was a lead the visitors held for only two minutes, Jack Leech quickly responding for the hosts. The visitors were ahead once more on fifty six minutes, Josh Mayhew finding the back of the home net, and this time they held onto it to join Lowestoft on sixty two points at the top.

Heybridge Swifts welcomed leaders Lowestoft Town, the Trawler Boys desperate to quickly put that defeat against Ipswich Wanderers behind them- but it didn’t go their own way in the first half, and they fell behind seven minutes before the break, Jack Adlington-Pile getting his eighth Swifts goal of the season, but perhaps by accident, as his cross was misjudged by the visiting keeper. Three minutes into added time the Trawler Boys were holed below the waterline once more, Adlington-Pile adding another, expertly finding the bottom corner. Could they recover? A red card for the hosts Ben Sartain with fifteen minutes to go gave them hope, and they finally got on the scoresheet five minutes into added time, Travis Cole getting a goal back. It was too little, too late- Swifts up to sixth, Town now only holding onto top spot on goal difference.

Image courtesy of Stefan Peck.

New Salamis welcomed fifth place Brentwood Town, the visitors having won six of their previous seven but been without a game for a fortnight. The time off didn’t seem to have done the Blues any harm as they took only three minutes to go ahead, Andy Freeman with the first North goal of the afternoon. The visitors doubled their advantage midway through the first half courtesy of George Sykes fourth Blues goal of the campaign, and they were out of sight when Sykes did it again, making it three-nil with twenty five minutes left. That was that, the Blues up to fourth.

Wroxham, with two wins from three, welcomed Maldon & Tiptree, the Jammers promotion chances having been hit by two defeats in a row. The Yachtsmen went ahead with twenty three minutes remaining, Joao Rangel with the opener, and that turned out to be the only goal of the game- even the introduction of Jamie Cureton five minutes before the end couldn’t get the Jammers a goal.

Our headline image comes from the Yachtsmen, and perhaps highlights the workload faced by our ground staff across the League at the moment- it was taken after the game.

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