Non-league round-up: Long Melford and Newmarket Town upset promotion contenders while Haverhill Rovers, Harleston Town and Ipswich Wanderers also win
Despite not playing, it was a positive weekend for Mildenhall Town in the Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division promotion race thanks to Long Melford and Newmarket Town.
Melford made the long trip to the Norfolk coast to lock on horns with second-placed Gorleston, while the Jockeys were in the same county taking on table-topping Wroxham. And both headed back to their respective bases with impressive victories in tow.
Perhaps the most impressive result of the two belonged to Melford, who by winning 3-1 at Emerald Park moved themselves out of the relegation zone on goal difference.
All of the goals came in the second half, with Hassan Ally, Ben Judge and Jamie Griffiths on target for a Villagers side that had won none of their previous four fixtures.
What’s more, the win completed a league double for Jamie Bradbury’s charges over the high-flying Greens.
As for Newmarket, Lewis Whitehead’s first-half goal earned them a 1-0 win at Wroxham’s Trafford Park.
It is now three wins in a row for Michael Shinn’s men, who remain eighth but are now just three points behind March Town United in sixth with a game in hand.
And those results will have been well received by the Mildenhall management and squad, who are third, three points behind Wroxham and two adrift of Gorleston having played a game more.
Like Melford, Haverhill Rovers also picked up a big result in the fight for survival by overcoming Lakenheath 3-0 at The New Croft.
Local lad Ryan Weaver got the ball rolling for Rovers with an early goal before Jake Banyard and Joe Morris made sure of the outcome in the second half.
It is now a trio of wins on the spin for Liam Aves’ team, who as a result have put a three-point gap between themselves and the drop zone.
Looking to reel back both Melford and Rovers are second-from-bottom Brantham Athletic after they played out a 1-1 draw at home with March.
After falling a goal behind Charlie Inglesias equalised for Brantham, who are level on points with Melford but find themselves in the relegation places due to their inferior goal difference.
Elsewhere in the division, Kirkley & Pakefield moved themselves up to 10th with a thumping 7-0 home win at the expense of bottom-of-the-table Swaffham Town.
Miguel Lopez was the star of the show for Kirkley with a hat-trick, which was accompanied by further goals from Jack Herbert, Macauley Holt, George Barber and Kyle Haylock.
A couple of places below Kirkley are Ely City, who were held to a 2-2 draw at home by 15th-placed Whitton United.
Callum Chambers-Shaw and Luke Crisp were on target for the hosting Robins, who will be bidding to win a third straight Cambridgeshire Invitation Cup on Tuesday evening when they take on Cambridge United's Development side at The Abbey Stadium.
Meanwhile, it is now four defeats in the last five outings for seventh-placed Walsham-le-Willows after they slipped to a 1-0 loss on the road at Fakenham Town and Hadleigh United (13th) saw a fine run of form ended by a 2-0 defeat at Mulbarton Wanderers.
In the Thurlow Nunn League First Division North, Harleston Town remain seven points clear – having played three more games than second-placed Sheringham – after winning 2-1 at home against Framlingham Town.
Jake Anema opened the scoring at Wilderness Lane before an equaliser from Max Willett sent the teams into the break level at a goal apiece.
Aedan Oliver went on to notch what would prove to be the winner for the hosts in the 51st minute, while the visitors saw Simon Poacher sent off and lost the services of star striker Danny Smith for an extended period after he suffered a double leg break.
Nevertheless, the defeated Castlemen still remain in the play-off positions, although Whittlesey Athletic in sixth do have a game in hand.
Elsewhere in the division Diss Town's winless run of form extended to nine matches after they were beaten 3-0 at home by Norwich CBS.
The Tangerines, who recently threw their support behind joint managers Matt Coote and Mark Sutcliffe after some criticism online, are 12th – 13 points adrift of the play-offs.
It was also a disappointing afternoon for Debenham LC (13th) as they suffered a 1-0 defeat at home at the hands of promotion-hunting Downham Town.
In the First Division South it is Ipswich Wanderers who continue to lead the way after they recovered from falling behind to triumph 3-2 over May & Baker under the lights on Friday evening.
Teon Leggett drew Wanderers level at Humber Doucy Lane before goals from Evan Bolt and George Mrozek secured the victory that keeps them five points at the summit of Buckhurst Hill, who the following day thrashed AFC Sudbury Reserves 6-0 at the MEL Group Stadium.
At the other end of the table in-form Haverhill Borough have opened up a seven-gap between themselves and bottom-of-the-table Brimsdown – with a game in hand to further extend it – thanks to a 1-1 draw on the road at Hackney Wick.
Spencer Sykes put Borough in front from a corner before the hosts equalised late on, yet despite that setback the Peter Betts' young side are unbeaten in their last five outings.
That is the type of form Halstead Town would welcome after suffering a third defeat in their last five outings, which in turn has seen them drop out of play-off positions on goal difference.
Joe Thomas scored for the Humbugs from the penalty spot, but by that point they had already conceded a couple of goals at the other end and the contest ended 2-1 to hosting Harwich & Parkeston.
As for 17th-placed Cornard United, it is now four defeats in a row after they slipped to a 2-0 loss away from home at Frenford.
Higher up the pyramid in the Pitching In Isthmian League North Division, Stowmarket Town are no longer in control of the title race after losing 2-1 at table toppers Aveley.
The Old Gold & Blacks' former Ipswich Town defender Chris Casement responded to Jon Benton's early opener in the 19th minute and it looked as though the spoils were going to be shared until Benton struck again for the hosts in stoppage time.
That was not to end of the drama though because in one of the last attacks Willie Clemons thought he had rescued the away side a point with a smartly-converted volley, only for the referee's assistant to put up his flag for offside – a subsequent replay (video above) has shown that to have been the wrong decision.
Nevertheless, the result has opened up a six-point gap between the sides, with third-placed Stowmarket having two games in hand but with a goal difference that is inferior by 12.
After suffering back-to-back defeats Felixstowe & Walton United got their push for the play-offs back on track by overcoming basement side Romford 2-0 at the Goldstar Ground.
Hosting Felixstowe had Curtley Williams red carded just before the break, but despite their depleted numbers a second-half brace from Zak Brown earned the eighth-placed Seasiders a victory that leaves them two points adrift of the top five.
However, a 1-0 defeat at relegation-threatened Barking could well have ended AFC Sudbury's hopes of gatecrashing the play-offs.
The Yellows (10th), who are without a win in their last three games, are now five points adrift of the play-off places having played more fixtures than the majority of the sides above them.
It was a better day for Bury Town though as they halted a four-game winless run in all competitions courtesy of a 3-0 win away at Basildon United.
The Blues, who are up to 11th, took the lead through a Cemal Ramadan penalty which was accompanied by goals from Jake Chambers-Shaw and Ross Crane – the latter leaving the pitch early with a head injury that required hospital treatment.
In the equivalent level Pitching In Northern League Midlands Division, second-from-bottom Soham Town Rangers saw the gap to the relegation/promotion play-off position grow to four points after being thrashed 6-1 on home soil by Halesowen Town.
The promotion-hunting visitors scored three goals in either half at Julius Martin Lane before Cambridge United loanee Jordan Chipps notched a 90th-minute consolation for the Greens.
The six goals conceded takes Soham's tally for the campaign to 83, giving them the joint worst defensive record in the division alongside Yaxley.
At Step 3 in the Pitching In Southern League Central Premier Division, the trio of Leiston, Needham Market and Lowestoft Town all suffered defeats.
Leiston's already faint hopes of mounting a late charge for the play-offs have seemingly been extinguished by a 3-0 defeat at home by second-placed Coalville Town, while Needham (14th) suffered a 5-2 defeat at Tamworth.
Jake Dye and Ben Fowkes were on target for the Marketmen, who are without a victory from their last five games in all competitions.
Lowestoft, meanwhile, are rooted to the foot of the table and find themselves five points from guaranteed safety after losing 3-1 at home to top-of-the-table Banbury United.
Josh Harvey's 75th-minute effort got the hosting Trawlerboys on the scoresheet after the champions elect had opened up a three-goal lead.
Midweek fixtures (Kick offs 7.45pm unless otherwise stated)
Tuesday, March 29
Cambridgeshire Invitation Cup final
Ely City v Cambridge United Development (7.30pm)
Pitching In Southern League Premier Central Division
Needham Market v Lowestoft Town
Pitching In Isthmian League North Division
Felixstowe & Walton United v Maldon & Tiptree
Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division
Kirkley & Pakefield v Mildenhall Town
Norwich United v Woodbridge Town
Swaffham Town v Hadleigh United
Wroxham v Lakenheath
Thurlow Nunn League First Division North
Framlingham Town v Debenham LC
Thurlow Nunn League First Division South
AFC Sudbury Reserves v Brimsdown
Wednesday, March 30
Turners Hyundai Suffolk Premier Cup semi-final
Stowmarket Town v Leiston (played at Needham Market FC)
