WINNING END FOR BOWERS

& Pitsea ended 2018 with a convincing 4-1 victory over Great

Wakering Rovers as they extended their lead at the top of the league to seven points.

Great Wakering should have led when Brian Moses squared for Joshua Wiggins but he fired at Andy Wilton.

The missed chance proved crucial as Bowers netted twice in nine minutes – David Knight opened the scoring from James Thomas’ cross before Martyn Stokes headed home Brad Warner’s corner.

Bowers extended their lead to 3-0 just before the break as Coey Turipa allowed star man Ben Sartain’s strike to bounce over him.

Knight then turned creator for Bowers’ fourth goal 20 minutes from time, sending in a cross for Warner to head home.

Moses scored a consolation for Wakering on 79 minutes as he volleyed home from the edge of the area but it was a heavy defeat at the hands of the rampant league leaders, who have lost just one of 19 league games this term.

Bowers are now seven points clear at the summit after second-placed Maldon & Tiptree suffered a surprise 1-0 home defeat to Witham Town.

Witham are one of the division’s in-form teams and have won four and drawn one of their last five league games – conceding just a single goal in that time.

Their latest victory came courtesy of a scrappy goal from Sam Ashford just before halftime.

A cross in from the right came through to Johnny Ashman on the left edge of the six-yard box. His shot was saved by Ben McNamara but fell to Ashford four yards out via the leg of a defender and he poked in.

McNamara then denied Toby Aromolaran at his near post to keep Maldon in the contest while at the other end, Luca Collins tipped Laste Dombaxe’s 25-yard strike wide.

Billy Roast came perilously close to an equaliser for the hosts on 88 minutes but nodded a deep free-kick wide before Witham’s Jack Kemsley – who had only come on as a substitute a minute earlier – was given a straight red card.

Elsewhere, disappointing Dereham

Town lost their basement battle 1-0 to Soham Town

Rangers at Aldiss Park. The results means Dereham stay bottom of the league while Soham – who were second-bottom at the start of the day – climb to 17th.

Dereham missed a great chance in the ninth minute when Joe Gatting headed Dion Frary's centre tamely into keeper Joshua Pope's arms before home stopper Elliot Pride made a superb close-range save to deny Sam Mulready.

The visitors took the lead two minutes after the restart when the unmarked Callum Russell tapped home Patrick's cross at the far post.

Dereham responded with Owen Murphy forcing Pope into a full length save from his 20yard drive before the lively Mulready was then put through but once again the reliable Pride stood firm and palmed aside his drive.

Dereham then spurned their final chance when Gatting diverted Tom McLeish's corner over from close range as Soham held on.

And in a thriller at Recreation Way, lowly

Mildenhall Town held Felixstowe & Walton United to a 3-3 draw. Miles Powell volleyed Felixstowe in front from three yards out on six minutes but Thomas Debenham drew Mildenhall level shortly after and Abouhadje Kouassi put the hosts in front on 40 minutes.

Although Rhys Barber levelled just before halftime by heading in a free-kick from close range, Jarid Robson’s 49th-minute effort put Mildenhall on top once more.

But Joseph Bloomfield earned the visitors a point with 25 minutes left as the Seasiders’ new management team got off the mark.