Stow picked up their 25th win of the season but had to come from behind to do it against a dogged Sawbridgeworth Town side.
On a mild evening, Stow opened brightly and had the first shot of the game, with Connor Scully firing over on the half volley after some good work from Charlie Cole down the left.
But it was the home side who broke the deadlock with nine minutes played; Stow allowing a free header from a corner to find the back of the net.
Sawbo were looking to hit Stow on the break, but their final ball was often lacking, and Stow enjoyed most of the possession. Stow were almost level a couple of minutes after the opener when Tommy Spillane’s free kick caused chaos in the box, and then a couple of minutes later the left back’s set-piece was almost turned into his own net by a Sawbo defender.
Stow got a deserved equaliser with 35 minutes on the clock, when Charlie Cole was put through by Callum Ibe, after some good work from Ibe and Charlie Edwards in midfield. Cole held off two tackles and rolled the ball home against his former club.
There was plenty of attacking intent to start the second half, and Stow were rewarded inside ten minutes when Callum Ibe was taken down inside the box after turning a couple of Sawbo defenders. In truth, it was something of a soft penalty, though Ibe’s standing leg was certainly taken from him. Scully rolled the spot-kick coolly home.
From then on it was almost one-way traffic, with Ibe and Samir Bihmoutine looking dangerous every time they went forward for Stow. Bihmoutine had a great chance to put the game to bed when through on goal but he opted to cut back to Cole and the Sawbo defender made a good interception. Then Stow’s winger beat three men in the box only for the ball to be taken off him as he was about to shoot.
With five minutes to go Tendi Quamina helped settle any Stow nerves, putting the Sawbo keeper under enough pressure that he dropped the ball into his own net. Just before the goal, Edwards was shocked that he wasn’t awarded a penalty when taken out inside the area.
Stow now host Clapton at Wadham Lodge on Saturday.