LINDFORD DELIVERS WIN FOR DEREHAM
DEREHAM TOWN roared back from two goals down to beat East Anglian rivals Felixstowe
& Walton United 3-2, claiming a fourth straight away win and climbing to the brink of the play-off places.
The visitors started strongly with Rhys Logan firing just wide from the right-hand side of the box, but the Seasiders hit the front as Sam Nunn rose highest to head home a corner on 20 minutes.
Dereham dominated the remainder of the first half as Adam Hipperson, fresh from netting a hat-trick at Thetford midweek, had a ferocious strike blocked and then fizzed a drive narrowly over.
David Hinton was shown a second yellow on the hour mark but the ten-strong hosts were undeterred, Jack Newman going through on goal and slotting underneath Elliot Pride.
That roused the Magpies, who levelled through Logan within four minutes and pulled level when targetman Ryan Crisp turned away from two defenders and finished emphatically from close range.
The goal that clinched it was a fitting winner, Robbie Lindford finding room on the edge of the box and hitting a fine, low strike off the post and in.
Dereham have now scored 18 goals in four league games and are just one point behind Aveley, who were imperious in a 4-1 victory over
Cambridge City at the Glassworld Stadium.
Perry Dunn’s third spell with the Millers began in the best possible fashion as he nodded home Jason Raad’s corner in the opening seconds.
The first half was all Aveley and it was two on 13 minutes, George Sykes guiding a rebound into the right-hand corner before Raad made it three with an individual effort on the stroke of half-time.
Cambridge grew into the contest with Arel Amu at the heart of the action, first seeing his shot trickle just wide and then being upended in the box only for the referee to wave play on.
The visitors added to their haul from the spot, Shad Ngandu sending the keeper the wrong way after George Sykes was fouled, before Ryan Sharman netted a late consolation.
There was another fivegoal thriller as Basildon
United held off two comebacks from Brentwood Town to prevail 3-2 at Gardiners Close.
The Bees led through Harry Doyle’s diving header but it was immediately cancelled out by Marcus Milner.
And just as Basildon re-established their lead, Andrew Freeman finished from close range to pull his side level again. Jimmy Cox had the final say when he converted a one-onone on 66 minutes.
Elsewhere, Histon stayed in touch with the play-off chasers by beating below-par
Canvey Island 3-0 at Park
Lane.
The visitors took the lead on 19 minutes, Dan Brown brought down in the box and Max York confidently converting the penalty despite Lamar Johnson guessing correctly.
The lead was then doubled three minutes later when the ball was worked to Simon Swinton 20 yards from goal and his low shot slipped through Johnson’s hands.
Histon extended their lead further on 48 minutes, Brown beating Johnson with a powerful shot high into the goal.
Things went from bad to worse in the 89th minute when Michael Finneran saw a goal disallowed and was sent off for his angry reaction at the decision.
In the division’s other game, Witham Town saw off Soham Town Rangers 2-1 thanks to second-half strikes from Scott Kemp and Brandon McCarthy.