Weekend round-up: Ryman League

Premier Division Harrow Borough 0 Needham Market 3

A stunning brace from Michael Brothers and another goal from the impressive Jack Curtis led Needham Market to a 3-0 victory at The Earlsmead Stadium.

All three of the goals were scored in a 15 minute period before half-time, as the Marketmen climbed up to fifth in the Ryman League Premier Division table.

In the early stages it was the visitors’ Danny Gay who was the busiest of the two goalkeepers.

Gay was twice called into action to deny Marc Charles-Smith and then Ibrahim Meite as Harrow Borough threatened to take the lead, before Reece Dobson danced through the Boro defence and saw his powerful strike rebound off the crossbar.

After neat play from Dobson, Curtis broke the deadlock on 32 minutes and in doing so scored his fourth goal of the season.

A sublime solo effort from Brothers doubled the lead on 38 minutes. His curling strike from distance nestled into the top corner.

On the stroke of half-time Needham added a third goal via the boot of Brothers as he scored with a free-kick from 25 yards.

In comparison to the first-half, the second-half was somewhat subdued. The hosts looked destined to pull a goal back but both Gay and the woodwork came to Needham’s rescue.

With the FA Cup defeat and disappointment now behind them, it has been the perfect response from Mark Morsley’s side.

Leiston 4 Kingstonian 4

Kingstonian ended the last remaining Ryman League 100 per cent record and Leiston’s 100 per cent winning record this season, but Leiston still top the Ryman League Premier Division table after this eight goal thriller.

The Blues led then trailed twice before snatching a draw with a late penalty.

Kingstonian were looking for a third straight win and started strongly, but fell behind against the run of play.

Rob Tolfrey was unable to gather Byron Lawrence’s free-kick and Joe Jefford followed up to score.

The lead lasted just seven minutes though, Michael Onovwigun pounced after a corner wasn’t cleared to equalise for the visitors.

Another seven minutes passed before the impressive Onuvwigun netted again, curling home a sweet 20 yard effort, but by the interval Leiston were ahead.

First a thumping drive from Lawrence levelled the scores and then great persistence from Christy Finch set up Matt Blake for his eighth goal of the season.

Back came the visitors and two goals in six second-half minutes turned the game in their favour.

Ryan Moss levelled after goalkeeper Nick Eyre had spilled a deep cross and then Sam Page was left all alone to fire home a deep cross.

Back came Leiston again and after Joe Francis was tripped in the box, Lawrence calmly fired home the spot kick.

Leiston could have won it through two late chances from Blake, but that would have been harsh on an impressive Kingstonian side, who are the first team to have avoided defeat against the Blues this season.

Staines Town 2 Lowestoft Town 1

Lowestoft Town let a one goal lead slip as they fell to a 2-1 defeat away at Staines Town on Saturday.

The Trawlerboys took the lead on 18 minutes when a free-kick from the left by Adam Smith reaches Jake Reed, who got the faintest of touches on the ball to steer it beyond Staines goalkeeper Jack Turner from close range.

The home side equalised on the hour mark though, as Max Worsfold caused trouble on the left again to find ex-Lowestoft man Jefferson Louis to level.

Worsfold then put Staines in front on 70 minutes with a free-kick, and despite some late pressure from Lowestoft, it was the hosts who ended up with all three points.

Division One North Wroxham 0 Maldon & Tiptree 6

Maldon & Tiptree heaped more woe on the shoulders of rock-bottom Wroxham, in a one-sided affair.

The Jammers were just one-goal up at the break, courtesy of Rhys Henry’s 15th minute opener.

But four goals in an eight-minute spell, at the start of the second period, killed off the hosts. Adam Mills netted on 49 and 50 minutes, before Henry completed his brace just three minutes later.

Sam Newson added the fifth in the 57th minute, and Tyler Brampton completed the rout by adding a late sixth.

Wroxham have lost all seven of their fixtures, while the Jammers are up to 10th.

Thamesmead Town 1 Bury Town 1

Bury Town came from behind to draw 1-1 with Thamesmead Town and maintain their unbeaten Ryman League Division One North record this season.

Thamesmead started the game on the front foot and were soon creating chances early on, with Paul Vines seeing his stinging shot saved by Bury goalkeeper Neil O’Sullivan at full stretch.

The Blues nearly went in front via an own goal after Remi Garrett powered down the wing and his cross saw Steve Springett try to clear the ball but hit his own goal post.

The stalemate was broken on 37 minutes when a strike on goal was inadvertently deflected into his own net by John Kennedy.

The lead would not last for long as the Blues equalised on 44 minutes when Ryan Jolland put his corner in the perfect spot for Ollie Hughes to rise and head Bury level.

The visitors then suffered a major setback during the second-half when Hughes had to leave the game after a nasty fall from jumping up for a header and breaking his wrist.

Witham Town 2 Ware 1

Witham have now played six games undefeated but were made to fight against a tough team, overcoming Ware by the odd goal in three at the Village Glass Stadium.

The visitors were off to a flying start when with just four minutes on the clock Gareth Price scored from close range.

And just as it looked as though they were going to have a first-half lead, Ryan Charles scored with a shot that was deflected past Kyle Forster in the Ware goal.

Witham did improve a little after the break and in the 69th minute Scott Kemp scored after extremely good play by Max Bradford, both of whom had just come on as substitutes.

AFC Hornchurch 2 Brightlingsea Regent 2

Mid-table sides AFC Hornchurch and Brightlingsea shared the spoils on Saturday, thanks to a late own goal from home midfielder Kenzer Lee.

The hosts were ahead at the break, via Ricky Freeman’s 36th minute opener, only for Thomas Richardson to level for the R’s with a real beauty. Richardson’s 25-yard free-kick was curled over the wall and into the roof of the net.

The Urchins regained their lead through Ayrton Coley in the 65th minute, before Lee could only divert Jordan Blackwell’s 80th minute cross, from a short corner, into his own net to rescue a point for Regent.

Heybridge Swifts 2 Waltham Abbey 2

Heybridge let two points slip through their fingertips as they were pegged back to a draw by Waltham Abbey at Scraley Road on Saturday. Both sides therefore remain with just one win to their name from five starts.

The Swifts were riding high just after the half-hour mark, nursing a 2-0 lead through goals by Glen Little and George Cole in the 15th and 32nd minutes respectively. But Darelle Russell halved the deficit in the 41st minute, and Romaric Logon grabbed a point with a 62nd minute leveller.