Non-league round-up: Harleston Town fight back from 3-0 down, but miss chance to go top after Thetford Town lose at Mildenhall Town
Harleston Town moved joint top of the Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division after battling back from 3-0 down to draw 3-3 with Ipswich Wanderers on Saturday.
The Step 5 newcomers trailed 3-0 after goals from Nathan Read (two) and Anton Clarke had given visiting Wanderers a strong lead, before Harleston rallied with three goals to earn a share of the points.
A victory would have been enough to send Danny Crow's men back to the top of the Premier Division table, as current leaders Thetford Town were thrashed 5-0 away at Mildenhall Town.
Thetford had stormed to the summit following an eight-match winning run, but that streak was brought to a halt thanks to a brace from George Bugg and a Tanner Call hat-trick.
It marked the second time in as many games that Phil Weavers' side had scored five times, having put five past Soham Town Rangers in a 5-1 victory on Tuesday last week, and back-to-back wins has seen the Hall move up to sixth in the table.
Matt Morton's Thetford remain top of the Premier Division, ahead of Harleston, by goal difference, but also have a game in hand on their closest title rivals.
Elsewhere in the Premier Division, third-placed Woodbridge Town closed the gap on the top two with a thrilling 4-3 victory at home to Lakenheath.
Goals from Lee Hammond and Sam Hawley fired the visitors into a 2-0 lead, before Woodbridge hit back through Mark Ray and Mason Sinclair to send the teams in level at the interval.
Callum Harvey edged the Woodpeckers in front after the break, with Ross Bailey equalising for Lakenheath on the hour mark, before Ray grabbed his second and the winner for the hosts.
Hadleigh United made it five Premier Division wins in a row with a 3-1 triumph at Newmarket Town.
First-half goals from Owen Betts (two) and Jack Baker handed the Brettsiders a commanding 3-0 lead at half-time, with Lewis Whitehead netting a late consolation for the home side.
Ely City are up to eighth after goals from Jack Chandler and Josh Townshend clinched a 2-1 win at home to Fakenham Town, while Long Melford are one place behind in ninth after winning 2-1 at Whitton United.
Frederico Dende struck a last-gap winner to secure all three points for the Villagers, after Perry Newman had cancelled out Dylan Gee's opener for Whitton.
Meanwhile, Walsham-le-Willows and Kirkley & Pakefield shared the points in a 1-1 draw at the Morrish Stadium, as Scott Chaplin's first-half strike was followed by a converted second-half penalty for the Royals.
Soham Town Rangers also picked up a point at the weekend after drawing 2-2 at Norwich United, with Luke Brown and Jordan Gent on target for the Greens.
Bottom side Haverhill Rovers' free entry clash at home to Mulbarton Wanderers ended in a 2-0 defeat, while Brantham Athletic went down 4-0 at Sheringham.
Meanwhile, Needham Market created club history with a 1-0 win against Vanarama National League side Maidstone United to reach the Emirates FA Cup first round for the first time.
Luke Ingram's ninth-minute strike was enough to clinch a famous victory for the Marketmen, as they defeated their higher-league opponents at Bloomfields in the fourth qualifying round.
Needham's Pitching In Southern League Premier Division Central rivals Leiston are up to third after a thumping 7-1 win at Bromsgrove Sporting.
The Blues ran riot in the first-half with six goals scored by Finlay Barnes (two), Adam Bailey-Dennis, Jake Hutchings and Ben Fowkes (two), before Will Davies grabbed a seventh after the interval.
Elsewhere, Pitching In Isthmian League North Division leaders Lowestoft Town saw their 100 per cent record come to an end after drawing 0-0 at Hullbridge Sports.
Felixstowe & Walton United dropped one place to third after losing 3-2 at Grays Athletic, who have replaced them in second, with Josh Hitter and Billy Holland on target for the Seasiders.
Bury Town slipped out of the play-off spots following a 1-0 defeat at Tilbury, while Stowmarket Town fought back from 2-0 down to win 3-2 at Maldon & Tiptree, thanks to goals from Josh Curry, Reggie Lambe and Jack Ainsley, which has moved them up to seventh.
AFC Sudbury marked their long-awaited return to league action with a 3-1 victory at home to New Salamis, courtesy of second-half goals from Josh Mayhew and Nnamdi Nwachuku (two).
In the Essex Senior League Premier Division, Halstead Town let a 3-1 half-time lead slip to lose 4-3 at home to White Ensign.
Joel Older (two) and Jordan Blackwell had fired the Humbugs into a 3-1 lead during the first-half, before the visitors hit back after the break and grabbed a 93rd-minute winner to leave the hosts without a point.
Meanwhile, Cornard United bounced back from their CNet Training Suffolk Senior Cup exit with a 4-1 win at home to Swaffham Town, in the Thurlow Nunn League First Division North.
Goals from Scott Sloots (two), George Day and Charlie Lindoe wrapped up the points for the Ards, who remain third in the table, but with games in hand on leaders Heacham.
Haverhill Borough and Diss Town both slipped down the table after losing at the weekend, with Callum Stone scoring a consolation in Borough's 3-1 reverse at Norwich CBS, while Diss were handed their first defeat in five games with a 2-0 loss at Downham Town.
Debenham LC twice came from behind with goals from Sam Cole and Charlie Canham before losing 3-2 at home to Whittlesey Athletic, while AFC Sudbury Reserves (2-0 at Huntingdon Town) and Needham Market Under-23s (4-1 at Holland) also tasted defeat in the First Division North.
Leiston Reserves bowed out of the CNet Training Suffolk Senior Cup on penalties, as their home tie with East Bergholt United finished 2-2 after 90 minutes before the visitors won 5-3 in the shootout.
Midweek fixtures (kick offs 7.45pm unless otherwise stated)
Tuesday, October 18
Pitching In Isthmian League North Division
Gorleston v Stowmarket Town (at Lowestoft Town)
Hullbridge Sports v AFC Sudbury
Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division
Brantham Athletic v Long Melford
Hadleigh United v Haverhill Rovers
Mulbarton Wanderers v Ipswich Wanderers
Soham Town Rangers v Lakenheath
Thurlow Nunn League First Division North
AFC Sudbury Reserves v Debenham LC
