Non-league football round-up: Wins for Lowestoft Town, Ipswich Wanderers and Walsham-le-Willows
Of all of the Step 3 and 4 teams under the Suffolk News umbrella, only Lowestoft Town were successful in the quest to pick up maximum points at the weekend.
And what an important victory it was for Jamie Godbold's men, who in beating play-off hopefuls Peterborough Sports 2-1 moved off the bottom of the Pitching In Southern League Central Premier Division standings.
It looked like being another tough afternoon for the Trawlerboys when Josh McCammon put visiting Sports ahead inside a minute at Crown Meadow.
However, goals from Marcus Wilkinson and Jake Reed had Lowestoft in front heading into the break and they held firm throughout the second half to move up to 19th, now just two points from guaranteed safety.
Elsewhere in the division it proved to be a frustrating home outing for Needham Market as they surrendered a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 at home with Royston Town.
Goals either side of half-time from Tom Maycock – his first for the Marketmen – and leading marksman Luke Ingram seemingly had the home side in control, but late interventions from Finlay Titchmarsh (88') and substitute Brandon Adams (90+2') ensured the spoils would be shared at Bloomfields.
The draw leaves Kevin Horlock's side 10th in the table ahead of next week's historic Buildbase FA Trophy tie at home against National League South outfit Dartford.
Leiston, meanwhile, are seventh and four points outside of the play-off places after going down 2-1 at St Ives Town in dramatic circumstances.
All three goals in Cambridgeshire came during second-half stoppage time, with hosting Ives striking first with 91 minutes on the clock via Nabil Shariff. Leiston's Jake Hutchings equalised in the fourth minute of time added on, only for Callum Milne to claim all three points for the home team with a back-post header two minutes later.
In the Pitching In Isthmian League North Division, Stowmarket Town remain in control of the title race despite being held to a 0-0 draw at home by relegation-threatened Hullbridge Sports.
It was the first time in 12 matches that the Old Gold & Blacks had failed to trouble the scoreboard – a run that dates back to the 0-0 draw with Hashtag United on November 20.
Yet, while Paul Musgrove's charges have subsequently slipped to third, they have a game in hand on both top-of-the-table Aveley and second-placed Canvey Island, who are two and one point better off respectively.
Those connected with league-leading Aveley will have enjoyed the rest of their weekend after handing visiting Bury Town a 4-0 defeat.
Alex Akrofi (2), Jon Benton, and George Sykes were on all target during an afternoon to forget for the Blues, who had stand-in goalkeeper Ben Mayhew red carded during the closing stages, leaving forward Olly Hughes to don the gloves.
Bury – with just two wins from their previous 10 fixtures – have slipped to 12th with a 12-point gap to make up on the play-offs.
Felixstowe & Walton United (9th) also lost ground in the race for the top five by losing 1-0 at home to Grays Athletic, but eighth-placed AFC Sudbury did at least avoid defeat from their trip to Great Wakering Rovers.
The 0-0 draw makes it back-to-back clean sheets for the Yellows, who find themselves six points adrift of the play-offs.
In the equivalent-level Pitching In Northern League Midlands Division, Soham Town Rangers' chances of survival were dented by a 2-0 defeat at home to Coleshill Town – a result that has seen the Greens drop to the foot of the table.
Goals from Kieran Donnelly and Kai Tonge early in the second half proved to be Soham's undoing and leaves them with a 10-point gap to safety with 12 matches remaining.
The big game at the top of the Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division proved to be one to forget for Mildenhall Town as their promotion hopes took a major blow.
They were beaten 4-0 at home by fellow contenders Wroxham, who have moved to within two points of second-placed Mildenhall with five games in hand (click here for Liam Apicella's match report).
Gorleston, meanwhile, have gone top and above Ricky Cornish's team on goal difference after hammering Brantham Athletic 6-1, with the Greens having played three games less.
Needham Market loanee Tommy Northwood was on target for a 17th-placed Brantham team that are two points above the relegation zone.
Staying towards the bottom, Hadleigh United put some daylight between themselves and the bottom two with a 2-0 home victory at the expense of basement side Swaffham Town.
Joel Glover (penalty) and Kade Ivatt accounted for the Hadleigh goals after player-manager Steve Holder was taken to hospital with broken ribs that he suffered in a clash with the opposition's goalkeeper early on in the contest.
Two of the other sides in danger – Thetford Town and Haverhill Rovers – were beaten and continue to look nervously over their shoulders.
Despite taking the lead on two occasions, Thetford went down 3-2 at Walsham-le-Willows. Nathan Clarke and Dan Gilchrist bagged the Brecklanders' goals, but the fifth-placed hosts responded through Kieran Twinn, Kyran Cooper and a Jamie Smith penalty.
As for Haverhill, a penalty from Josh Lee was not enough to claim anything from their trip to Fakenham Town, who chalked up a 3-1 win at Clipbush Park.
However, they both keep their heads above water for now due to 19th-placed Long Melford's 3-1 defeat at Whitton United.
Ollie Dunlop, who was later sent off, Owen Betts and Miles Powell were all on target for 14th-placed Whitton, while Will Wingfield had levelled for Melford during the first half.
The defeat – Melford's 13th of the season – leaves them a point behind Rovers (18th) and two off Thetford (16th), with at least one game in hand on both.
The mid-table meeting between Kirkley & Pakefield (13th) and Lakenheath (11th) ended 0-0 on the Suffolk coast, while in the fens March Town United gained revenge on Newmarket Town for their recent Cambridgeshire Invitation Cup exit by winning 2-0 at the GER Sports Ground.
And that defeat has seen Newmarket drop ninth as Woodbridge Town went above them after recording a 4-0 home win over Ely City (10th).
Mark Ray, Callum Sinclair, Kelsey Trotter and Taylor Southgate all found the back of the net to help bring an end to the Robins' five-match run without a defeat in all competitions.
Despite losing for the first time in six Thurlow Nunn League First Division North outings, Harleston Town remain top.
Nicky Howell's side were beaten 1-0 by a late goal at Framlingham Town, who have moved themselves up to eighth in the standings in the process.
As for Harleston, they were done a favour by second-from-bottom Needham Market Reserves as they held second-placed Downham Town to a 1-1 draw courtesy of Marcus Curtis' goal. It means Downham are a point behind Harleston, who also have a game in hand.
The 1-1 draw proved to be the theme for Suffolk News' the Diss Express' other teams in the division, with the matches involving both Diss Town (6th) and Debenham LC (14th) also ending in that scoreline.
James Bemrose scored for Diss as they were held at Brewers Green Lane by Huntingdon Town, while Matt Aldis' overhead kick earned the travelling Hornets a point from their long journey to Peterborough North End.
In the First Division South it is Ipswich Wanderers that continue to lead the way after racking up an 11th straight victory – this time 4-0 at Park View.
Matt Blake, Josh Folkes, Evan Bolt and Teon Leggett all scored for a Wanderers side that has racked up 99 league goals in 26 matches this term – only four Step 6 teams across the entire country have scored more.
Elsewhere, Halstead Town stay third following their 3-0 victory at bottom-of-the-table Haverhill Borough.
The Humbugs' goals came courtesy of Jake Brown, Adam Hampson and Alfie Cleal, while Borough – with just one win to their name all season – remain three points from safety.
Cornard United (15th) put an end to their five-game sequence without a victory by beating Hackney Wick 2-1. Jack Graham and Christian Walsh scored for the hosting Ards, who had former Colchester United academy player Oliver Sims red carded.
Meanwhile, two places below Cornard are AFC Sudbury Reserves following their 2-1 home defeat at the hands of Newbury Forest.
Midweek fixtures (kick off 7.45pm unless otherwise stated)
Tuesday, February 8
Isthmian League North Division
Bury Town v Felixstowe & Walton United
Northern League Midlands Division
Yaxley v Soham Town Rangers
Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division
Mulbarton Wanderers v Whitton United
Thurlow Nunn League First Division North
Leiston Reserves v Framlingham Town
Thurlow Nunn League First Division South
AFC Sudbury Reserves v Cornard United
