Non-league football round-up: Stowmarket battle back for Hashtag United draw while Lowestoft Town, Hadleigh United, Kirkley & Pakefield and Framlingham Town are among sides to win
None of Suffolk News' four Pitching In Isthmian League North Division teams were successful in their quest to pick up three points at the weekend.
However, Stowmarket Town may well have left the Len Salmon Stadium feeling like they had been victorious after recovering from being 2-0 and 3-1 down to draw 3-3 with Hashtag United.
The visiting Old Gold & Blacks were two goals down inside the opening 15 minutes before Harry Haysom's 19th-minute own goal got them back into the contest.
Harry Honesty restored Hashtag's two-goal advantage just shy of the hour mark, but Paul Musgrove's men nabbed a share of the spoils thanks to goals from Bermuda internationals Willie Clemons and Reggie Lambe – the latter scoring the equaliser deep into stoppage time.
Despite the dropped points third-placed Stowmarket remain in control of the title race having got a game in hand on both Aveley (top, two points ahead) and Canvey Island (second, same points). By chance, next weekend Musgrove's side have a potentially season-defining trip to the leaders.
Elsewhere in the division, both Felixstowe & Walton United and AFC Sudbury saw their play-off hopes take hit.
It was Stowmarket's title rivals Aveley that got the better of Felixstowe 2-0 courtesy of second-half goals from Ryan Scott and Alex Akrofi, while Sudbury suffered a 3-1 defeat on the road at Tilbury.
Jamie Shaw was on target for a 10th-placed Sudbury outfit that are now five points adrift of the play-offs, with Felixstowe (8th) a point better off.
Meanwhile, Bury Town picked up a point on the road at relegation-threatened Barking thanks to a 2-2 draw.
All of the goals came during the first half at Mayesbrook Park as Bury's Cemal Ramadan helped himself to a brace, taking his goal tally for the campaign to 20 in the process.
It is now three games in a row without a win for 12th-placed Bury, who head to Brentwood Town for a rearranged league fixture on Tuesday night.
In the equivalent level Pitching In Northern League Midlands Division, Soham Town Rangers remain bottom after losing 3-1 at home to Corby Town.
Edgar Morais scored a late consolation for the Greens, who are four points from the relegation/play-off position and a hefty 15 from guaranteed safety.
In the higher-level Pitching In Southern League Central Premier Division, Lowestoft Town gave their survival chances a big shot in the arm with a 3-2 victory at second-placed Coalville Town.
Travis Cole, Adam Tann and Louis McIntosh were all on target for Jamie Godbold's second-from-bottom side as they moved to within three points of safety with eight fixtures remaining.
Towards the top end of the table, Leiston (7th) are now seven points adrift of the play-offs following their 2-1 defeat at Stratford Town.
Young midfielder George Quantrell scored for the Blues while former England Under-21 international Leroy Lita was red carded late on for the hosts.
Nine points behind Leiston in 13th are Needham Market after they were held to a 1-1 draw at home by Alvechurch.
All of the drama came after the restart at Bloomfields, where hosting Needham had Callum Sturgess red carded in the 55th minute for a foul inside the box, only for goalkeeper Marcus Garnham to save the resultant spot kick.
The depleted Marketmen then took the lead via Luke Ingram in the 74th minute, only for Danny Waldron to rescue a point for the visitors in stoppage time.
In the Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division, the battle at the top of the table went against Mildenhall Town, who prior to kick off added higher-league players Ryan Hawkins and David Haynes on loan.
Ricky Cornish's side headed to second-placed Gorleston with a one-point advantage over their hosts, having played two games more.
And it looked as though it was going to remain that way until the closing stages when Connor Ingram scored the only goal of the game to seal a 1-0 win for the hosting Greens.
To rub further salt into the Mildenhall wound, they have dropped down to third on goal difference behind a Wroxham side that have three fixtures in hand.
Elsewhere in the division, in-form Hadleigh United look to have ended any lingering relegation worries courtesy of a 1-0 home win at the expense of Thetford Town.
James Baker bagged the winner for the Brettsiders, sealing a third straight victory that moves them 12 points clear of the bottom two.
Sixteenth-placed Thetford, meanwhile, are hovering dangerously above the danger zone – just three points clear having played a game more than a couple of the sides below them.
One of those teams looking to reel Thetford in are third-from-bottom Long Melford, who saw their winless streak extend to four matches after they lost 1-0 on the road at fourth-placed Mulbarton Wanderers.
Brantham Athletic (17th) are a couple of points better off than Melford after they played out a 1-1 draw at 14th-placed Lakenheath.
James Lee put visiting Brantham a goal up before Rob Thorn saw red before the half-time whistle. And hosting Lakenheath eventually made their numerical advantage count 10 minutes from time when leading marksman Shaun Avis equalised from the penalty spot.
Newmarket Town moved up to eighth as they ran out 5-1 winners at bottom-of-the-table Swaffham Town. Ben Robinson helped himself to two goals for the Jockeys alongside contributions from Jack Whiting, player-manager Michael Shinn and Lewis Whitehead.
Newmarket are now level on points with seventh-placed Walsham-le-Willows after they suffered a 2-0 home defeat to Kirkley & Pakefield (11th).
It is now three losses in a row without scoring for Walsham whereas in contrast Kirkley have strung a trio of wins together.
Fifteenth-placed Whitton United had an afternoon to forget on home soil as they were beaten 6-0 by Fakenham Town, with Jake Watts doing much of the damage with a four-goal haul.
In the First Division North, Harleston Town showed no mercy during their home clash with Great Yarmouth Town – eventually running out 7-0 winners.
Ryan Crisp (2), Aedan Oliver, Sam Borrer, Nathan Stone, Connor Delaney and Nathan Russell all scored for Nicky Howell's men, who remain seven points clear of second-placed Sheringham having played three games more.
The afternoon was also notable for the more than £1,000 that was raised for the Ukrainian refugee crisis.
There was also plenty of goals for Framlingham Town to celebrate – a 4-1 win home victory over Needham Market Reserves moving them up to fourth.
Danny Smith (2), George Exworth and captain James Mayhew were all on target for the hosting Castlemen, who have four games remaining this term.
There was nowhere near as much entertainment at Debenham LC though as they played out a 0-0 draw at home with FC Parson Drove.
It was the first time the 13th-placed Hornets have failed to score in their last seven outings.
In the First Division South, Haverhill Borough's upturn in form continued with a 1-1 draw at home against mid-table Barkingside.
Ryan Kent notched for a Borough side that have now collected seven points from the last nine available, which in turn keeps them three points clear of bottom-of-the-table Brimsdown.
Also playing out a draw was 14th-placed AFC Sudbury Reserves as their home clash with Burnham Ramblers ended 0-0.
Midweek fixtures (Kick off 7.45pm unless otherwise stated)
Tuesday, March 22
Pitching In Southern League Central Premier Division
Biggleswade Town v Needham v Market
Pitching In Isthmian League North Division
Brentwood Town v Bury Town
Canvey Island v AFC Sudbury
Pitching In Northern League Midlands Division
Daventry Town v Soham Town Rangers
Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division
Haverhill Rovers v Whitton United
Thetford Town v Ely City
Thurlow Nunn League First Division North
Needham Market Reserve v Leiston Reserves
Thurlow Nunn League First Division South
Harwich & Parkeston v Cornard United
Turners Hyundai Suffolk Premier Cup quarter-final
Mildenhall Town v Leiston
Felixstowe & Walton United v Kirkley & Pakefield
CNet Training Suffolk Senior Cup semi-final
Ipswich Wanderers v Old Newton United – played at Stowmarket Town FC
Wednesday, March 23
Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division
Walsham-le-Willows v Lakenheath