Yellows top once more on one point Tuesday

For the first time in three months we had a different name at the top of Pitching In Isthmian North- but Hashtag United’s lead lasted only twenty four hours as AFC Sudbury regained their place at the summit. The Yellows had a difficult night in prospect as they travelled to fourth place Felixstowe and Walton United, who had previously lost only one home match all season, but they took all three points in a tight encounter. Nnamdi Nwachuku’s thirty third goal of the season- in thirty matches- gave them the lead on twenty seven minutes, but the hosts levelled eight minutes into the second half through Josh Hitter. Parity lasted only seven minutes, however, Sakariya Hassan scoring for the second match in a row as the Yellows recorded a second successive two one win to open up a one point lead at the top.

Lowestoft Town, in third place, were also faced with a difficult task as Wroxham arrived at the seaside. We expected a close match- the Yachtsmen had been in fine form, with only two defeats from their previous ten, and although they lost three-nil to the Trawler Boys in the league in September they had followed that up by hammering their opponents five-one in the FA Trophy. The visitors went ahead on thirteen minutes through Ryan Curtis, but Jake Reed’s fifteenth of the season drew the Trawler Boys level before the half hour and when Sam Johnson got a second for the hosts ten minutes from the end that looked to be that. It wasn’t, however, as Brad Spooner had the last word for Wroxham, earning his side a point right at the death.

Heybridge Swifts are up to fifth, taking victory over Witham Town despite injury to keeper Callum Chafer, who was forced off after only twenty four minutes. Swifts, with only three wins from their previous ten, had been a little out of sorts of late- but opened the scoring on eighteen minutes through Sam Carter and saw Rob Harvey double their advantage eleven minutes after the break. Town made things interesting when Farai Tsingano got one back with ten minutes left, but that was that. Image from Alan Edmonds.

Stowmarket Town, under new management, hoped to get the Chris Casement era off to a flyer by defeating second bottom Gorleston- but they had to twice come from behind to earn a point. Kai Fletcher gave the visitors the lead as early as the fifth minute, with Stow equalising a quarter of an hour later through Shaun Bammant. Five minutes after the start of the second half the Greens scored again, Jamie North putting them ahead, but the hosts levelled eleven minutes later through Ellis Girling. Stow slip to sixth, the Greens remain second from the bottom.

Bury Town welcomed a resurgent Coggeshall Town to Ram Meadow. After waiting months for a victory, the Seed Growers had three of them from their previous three matches, a run which had moved them to within four points of safety. That gap is now three points as neither side could manage a goal, Town climbing to eighth- although they’ve now managed only one goal from their last four matches.

We had a mid table battle as Brentwood Town welcomed East Thurrock United. Town, three unbeaten as we kicked off, made it four- but they could take only one point. Brian Moses opened the scoring for the Rocks on eighteen minutes, but the next- and final- goal arrived eighteen minutes later, Jack Adlington earning the hosts a point.

The match between Hullbridge Sports and Tilbury was abandoned due to fog- disappointingly for the visitors, who were two goals up at the time.

Finally our bottom side, Great Wakering Rovers, last tasted victory more than four months ago- a two-one win over Coggeshall Town on October 8th- and that run continued against Basildon United, but at least they picked up a point. David Knight put Rovers ahead just before the half hour, but on sixty one minutes the travelling Bees responded, Callum Burkey earning them a point.

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