DAVID IS DOCKERS’ WHITE KNIGHT

A FIRST-HALF David Knight penalty proved the difference at Chadfields as

Tilbury defeated promotion rivals Bury Town

2-1 to leapfrog them in the table.

Tommy Barton opened the scoring for the hosts in the 18th minute before Bury responded almost immediately to draw level three minutes later, with Ryan Jolland netting.

But Tilbury were given a chance to retake the lead on the half-hour mark when they were awarded a penalty and Knight made no mistake from the spot to put the home side ahead at the break.

And despite their best efforts, Bury were unable to find a second equaliser and ill-discipline started to show as they chased the game – with yellow cards for Joe Hood, Joe White and Ollie Hughes.

Heybridge Swifts also stuttered in their bid for the title as they went down 1-0 to lowly

Basildon United,

who boosted their survival hopes with Conor Tyrell’s late strike.

Tyrell came off the bench to replace Billy Purdy in the 76th minute and struck just three minutes later to hand Basildon all three points to move them up to 17th in the table. Elsewhere, Cambridge

City also left it late to claim a valuable point against Grays Athletic at Bridge Road after the visitors opened the scoring when Joao Carlos slotted past Dan George.

City failed to make much impact as they went looking for the equaliser.

However, the second half was a different story as the home side played with much more purpose and were rewarded for their efforts when they pulled level.

Substitute Nathan Olukanmi burst through and the ball fell kindly for Arel Amu, who showed plenty of composure to fire home on 75 minutes and set up a thrilling conclusion.

City then had the best of the opportunities to get

the winner and Ebby Nelson-Addy stung the hands of Danny Sambridge late on before both sides were forced to settle for a point.

There were no such problems for Histon as they romped to a comfortable 3-1 success against

Great Wakering Rovers

to close the gap on the play-off places.

Dan Brown opened the scoring on ten minutes before Evan Key lived up to his surname by unlocking the hosts’ defence just after the half-hour to double Histon’s advantage at the break.

Brown then bagged his second of the game after the restart before George Purcell pulled one back for Rovers, whose chances of a comeback died when Martin Tuohy saw red on 80 minutes.

The result means Histon are now seventh in the standings, four points behind Bury Town in fifth, having overtaken their opponents plus Coggeshall Town and

Canvey Island.

Island were stunned at The Frost Financial Stadium by Soham Town

Rangers as Lloyd Groves found the back of the net on 67 minutes to help the visitors to a narrow 1-0 win. Meanwhile, AFC Sudbury took the spoils by the same margin against

Brentwood Town, although they were made to work hard for their win.

The victory came courtesy of Tom Maycock’s 84th-minute strike to move Sudbury up to 14th in the table while leaving Brentwood looking over their shoulders in 18th.

Brentwood’s defeat allowed ten-man Felixstowe & Walton United

to close the gap on them with their 1-1 draw against

Hullbridge Sports, who equalised through Adebola Sotoyinbo after Josh Kerridge had given the hosts the lead.