Non-league round-up: AFC Sudbury win top-of-the-table clash at Lowestoft Town while Leiston progress in FA Trophy but Stowmarket Town well beaten at Banbury United
Two Suffolk sides were left standing in the Isuzu FA Trophy heading into the second round proper, and now just Leiston will continue to fly the flag for the county ahead of Monday's draw.
Darren Eadie and Chris Wigger's team had reached the same stage of the national competition last season, but booked the club's place in the third round for the first time thanks to a dramatic 4-3 home win over divisional rivals Alvechurch.
The Blues had raced into a 3-0 lead inside the opening 37 minutes with a Ben Fowkes double (8', 21') added to by his former Needham Market team-mate Joe Marsden.
Danny Waldron pulled on back for the visitors before the break and only some good goalkeeping prevented Leiston increasing their lead in the early stages of the second half.
Striker Waldron went on to draw his side level by completing his hat-trick in the 85th minute, having also beaten Sam Donkin on 68.
But with penalties looming with the tie heading into added time, Marsden fired in from the edge of the area in the 91st minute to provide a memorable finish for the Leiston supporters in the 254 at The Watson & Hillhouse Victory Road Stadium.
They will now be dreaming of landing a plum tie in Monday's third round draw where Vanarama National League sides such as Wrexham, Notts County and Southend United enter.
But Stowmarket Town will not in the draw after National League North side Banbury United recorded a comfortable passage through in Oxfordshire, racking up a 6-0 scoreline.
Paul Musgrove's side, who play two levels lower in the pyramid, had been on a record run in the competition and trailed 2-0 at the break.
Henry Landers struck in the 42nd minute for the hosts before Slavi Spasov was credited with doubling their advantage in added time.
Spasov made it 3-0 within five minutes of the restart with Ben Acquaye (53') and a Giorgio Rasulo brace (62', 72') making it a landslide victory in front of a crowd of 702 including 90 from Suffolk.
The defeat, which saw new signing Marlon Agyakwa come on for his Stow debut on the hour mark, ended an undefeated run of 14 matches.
They will return to Pitching In Isthmian League North Division action with AFC Sudbury having extended their lead at the top of the table to four points after winning their top-two clash at Lowestoft Town 2-0.
A goal in each half saw Rick Andrews' side to a big three points in front of a crowd of 724 at Crown Meadow.
Nnamdi Nwachuku took his tally for the season to 26 as he found the net for the 11th game running, heading in from Marley Andrews' chipped pass in the 35th minute.
The former Colchester United and Reading trainee had a second ruled out for offside before a spectacular free kick from Jake Turner doubled the Yellows' advantage in the 76th minute.
Former Sudbury boss Jamie Godbold saw his side reduced to 10 men late on when Chris Henderson got his marching orders in the 87th minute.
The result saw AFC bounce back from their first league defeat of the campaign, having gone down 3-2 at Heybridge Swifts on Tuesday.
A 2-1 victory for Felixstowe & Walton United at lowly Hullbridge Sports saw Stuart Boardley's side move up into the play-off places in fourth.
All the goals came in the second half with Samuel Ford (80') adding to Zak Brown's opener (53') before the hosts struck late on through Sonny Dutton.
Bury Town moved to within two points and two places of a play-off spot with a 2-1 victory at Great Wakering Rovers in what was a 2pm kick-off.
Cemal Ramadan's 17th goal in as many games this season put them into a lead within five minutes before Callum Boylan drew the hosts level before the break.
It was a late goal from Joe Hood which recorded a third straight win and sent all three points back with Ben Chenery's side, the defensive player finding the back of the net in the 85th minute.
Up a level in the Pitching In Southern League Premier Central, Needham Market also profited with a late goal with Colchester United loanee Kaan Bennett netting in the 90th minute for a 1-1 draw at St Ives Town.
The hosts had taken the lead through Nabil Shariff in the 19th minute with the point leaving Kevin Horlock's Needham side 11th in the standings.
Down in the Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division, Thetford Town saw their lead at the summit cut from five to three points following a 1-1 home draw with lowly Brantham Athletic.
Pip Boyland's side, who had lost five of their last six heading into the fixture, held a 1-0 advantage at the interval thanks to Johnny Lee's goal.
An early second-half penalty dispatched by Dan Gilchrist drew Thetford level but despite their late pressure they could not find a winner, with the offside flag having cut celebrations short on one effort.
Harleston Town took advantage of the Brecklanders' dropped points with Danny Crow's side recording an emphatic 6-1 victory at second bottom Whitton United to move up into second in the table.
Rob Turner had scored direct from a corner to add to Nathan Stone's opener as Harleston carried a 2-0 advantage into the interval.
Hadleigh United were the ones to drop out of the top two after losing 1-0 at home to sixth-placed Ipswich Wanderers.
The decisive goal at The Millfield came in the 74th minute from Wanderers' Nathan Read.
Third-placed Woodbridge Town drew 1-1 at home to Newmarket Town (17th) with Luke Mallett following up his 68th minute saved penalty to earn his side a share of the spoils. It came after young Jockey Jacob Mingay had headed his side into a first-half lead.
Lakenheath lie fifth after recording a 3-1 home win over Soham Town Rangers on Friday evening with the visitors having been reduced to 10 men in the 22nd minute following goalkeeper Finley Iron handling outside his area.
Tom Thulborn's first-half advantage was added to by a stunning long-range strike from Ryan Yallop just after the hour mark before Lee Hammond completed the scoring.
Long Melford remain seventh after enjoying a 4-1 home victory over third bottom Kirkley & Pakefield.
Ryan Gibbs scored twice with Ben Judge and Will Wingfield also on target for David Hennessey's side, who scored twice in each half.
Walsham-le-Willows also celebrated a big win on home turf, putting five unanswered goals past Sheringham to make it six games unbeaten for Chay Budd and Ian Hubbard's side.
Ryan Twinn, Scott Chaplin, Kyran Cooper all scored in the first half before Ollie McKenzie-Vince and Ryan Twinn also added their names to the scoresheet.
Mildenhall Town (8th) ended up bringing back a point back from their trip to Norwich United with Kieran Twinn's early first half effort levelled 10 minutes from time in a 1-1 draw.
Phil Weavers' side were reduced to 10 men thereafter following Miles Smith's second yellow card.
In the First Division North, Framlingham Town missed out on the chance to go top with Heacham in League Challenge Cup action, losing 3-2 at home to fourth-placed Norwich United.
Josh Lucraft's opener had been levelled before the interval with the same player then replying to the visitors gaining the lead.
But the decisive goal came from Payton Swatman in the 75th minute to send the three points back to Norfolk.
Cornard United remain third after bouncing back from defeat with a 3-0 win at lowly FC Parson Drove while AFC Sudbury Reserves (16th) won by the same socreline at home to Great Yarmouth Town.
Elsewhere Diss Town (11th) lost 2-1 at Whittlesey Athletic while bottom side Needham Market Reserves went down to a 1-0 defeat at Swaffham Town.
In the Essex Senior League Premier Division, Halstead Town (16ht) were left to rue some missed chances and a slow start to the second half as they lost 3-1 against Romford at Barking FC.
