Division 1 North Review (29-1-11)
Two first half goals by Sam Newson helped Needham Market to reclaim the Ryman League Division One North leadership with a 3-1 victory at Romford on Saturday.
Newson struck after 21 minutes and added a penalty after 38, and it looked as it that would be the end of the scoring. Then Matt Toms struck for Romford in the 90th minute, only for their brief hope to be snuffed out by Nathan Stone`s immediate reply.
Needham are a point ahead of East Thurrock United with three games in hand after the Rocks suffered an unexpected 2-1 home defeat by improving Heybridge Swifts.
Kris Newby gave the hosts an 11th minute lead, firing in a free-kick for his twenty-fourth goal of the season, but fine goalkeeping by Ollie Morris-Sanders denied Rocks after that and he was fully rewarded by second half goals from Russell Pond and Luke Callander.
A close contest looked in prospect at AFC Sudbury, where Potters Bar Town were the visitors in a battle of two teams challenging for the play-offs. A straight red card for Bar`s Billy Sentance as early as the 3rd minute changed that, and Lee Townrow fired a hat-trick as Sudbury powered to a 6-0 victory.
Daniel Emmanuel opened the scoring in the 27th minute and Townrow headed the second in the 37th minute. He struck again shortly after the interval and completed his hat-trick with the fifth goal in the 75th minute. Tom Devaux had made it 4-0 and Liam Whittaker hit the sixth.
The big match at the bottom of the table was at Tilbury, where Ilford were forced to transfer their home game because of problems at Cricklefield.
Junior Appiah put Ilford ahead 5 minutes before the break but Dockers made the most of their unexpected home advantage, equalising through Sam West in the 50th minute and claiming a 2-1 victory with a Ben Bradbury penalty 10 minutes from the end.
Waltham Abbey maintained their play-off push with two unanswered goals at home to Grays Athletic, but only after keeper Harry Ricketts had performed superbly to foil the visitors in the first half. Kieran Ogunkoya then gave Abbey the lead on the hour and Tom Laxton finished it off in added time.
Joe Collins scored on the hour to earn Maldon & Tiptree a 1-1 home draw with Brentwood Town, who had gone ahead in the 20th minute through Darren Blewitt.
Matters followed a very similar course at Thmamesmead, where Cheshunt went ahead through Darrell Cox in the 19th minute and Gabriel Momodu replied in the 68th minute. The home side had the chances to win as they piled on the pressure but it finished 1-1.
Enfield Town edged into the play-off picture with a 2-0 victory at Redbridge. There was another good goalkeeping performance here as Town took 58 minutes to find a way past the defiant Elliott Justham. Adam Wallace eventually made the breakthrough and Jon Moore added the second 12 minutes from time.
Harlow Town beat Great Wakering Rovers 1-0 in the other game, the only goal a Daniel Brown penalty midway through the second half.
