ESSEX Under-18s gained a 2-1 victory over Suffolk to put themselves in pole position to win this season's East Anglian Counties Championship.Both counties fielded young sides for this important fixture at Heybridge Swifts FC, and they served up an entertaining match full of good individual displays, while perhaps lacking a little in cohesive team play.

ESSEX Under-18s gained a 2-1 victory over Suffolk to put themselves in pole position to win this season's East Anglian Counties Championship.

Both counties fielded young sides for this important fixture at Heybridge Swifts FC, and they served up an entertaining match full of good individual displays, while perhaps lacking a little in cohesive team play.

Essex took the lead in the 16th minute, when Hunter got in front of the defence to meet a cross from Moore to glance a header out of reach of Rhodes.

After this, the Suffolk team began to settle and grew in confidence, but failed to find a cutting edge up front. The second half started with two goals in the first 10 minutes. Suffolk equalised, after interplay between Nurse and Hutching seemed to have ended when the ball was lost, but Clark pressed Branson into a slip, took the ball from him and drove into the box before shooting across the keeper into the far corner.

Essex, however, went back in front within two minutes when Hunter produced a great individual goal, with an explosive turn and half volley which fired the ball into the net off the underside of the bar. No more goals, but several chances at both ends with the threat from Hunter being the difference between the teams.

With only two fixtures left in the championship, any one of three teams could still win, but this victory puts Essex in pole position.