10:13am Wednesday 17th March 2010
BRAINTREE TOWN remain third in Blue Square South after playing out a goal-less draw at Maidenhead United.
Iron are three points clear of sixth-placed Dover Athletic in the play-off zone, following their point at York Road.
Fellow promotion contenders Bath City slipped up at Hampton and Richmond, while Thurrock drew 2-2 with Woking.
FC CLACTON beat March Town United 3-1 at the Rush Green Bowl to strengthen their position in third place in Ridgeons League division one.
Gregg Heighway, Mark White and Matt Waters scored the Seasiders’ goals.
HALSTEAD TOWN’S 16-match unbeaten run ended at leaders Brantham Athletic.
It was a highly-charged affair, with referee Andy Langston the busiest man on the field.
He booked ten players, culminating in Lee Townrow’s dismissal 15 minutes from time for his protests at allowing Brantham’s second goal to stand.
It looked as though Dave Grimwood had scored from an offside position, after Lee Grimwood’s cross shot was parried by keeper Ed Wootten.
The contest was a well-fought affair, with play swinging from end to end.
Wootten turned away a shot from Pat Brothers, before keeper Ryan Bedingfield left his goal to collect Liam Morley’s fine cross.
Both sides pushed the ball round to good effect but there was little to choose between the sides.
Defences stood firm and it was no surprise when the interval arrived goal-less.
The free-kick total continued to mount up after the break, especially after both sides brought on substitutes.
Neither side allowed many shooting chances in front of goal, as the bookings increased.
The deadlock was finally broken after 66 minutes.
Olly Mann powered home following a breakaway on the right flank by Lee Grimwood and Halstead found themselves under pressure after that.
And Dave Grimwood scored a controversial second goal late on to seal Town’s fate.
MALDON TOWN were beaten 2-0 by Lowestoft Town at Park Drive, in Ryman League division one north.
Powerful left-foot strikes in each half from Joe Francis and Adam Smith handed the Blues a comfortable victory.
Keeper Andy Reynolds denied Laurant Hamici on 20 minutes, before leading scorer Matt Nolan spurned a good chance for Lowestoft.
Maldon keeper Jack Smelt then made a fine save to deny Joe Francis but the Blues took the lead, a minute before half-time.
A superb through-ball from veteran Gary Holt fell into Francis’ path and he fired a shot into the far corner.
Francis missed a good chance before Smith doubled Lowestoft’s lead, after Francis laid the ball to him following a slick one-two with Nolan.
Nolan, Holt and Francis all went close for the home side in the second half.
Substitute Jamie Forshaw almost made it 3-0 for Lowestoft with an individual run and shot, as Maldon fell to defeat.
WITHAM TOWN got back to winning ways in the Essex Senior League with a 3-0 win over Southend Manor.
The first half finished goal-less at Spa Road, with John Watson and Steve Wareham both missing good chances for Town.
But Witham dominated after half-time and despite initially finding the Southend Manor defence hard to break down, the floodgates eventually opened.
Southend Manor keeper Adam Seal made a fine save to deny Sam Taylor.
But soon after, Wareham capitalised on some good work by Watson to make it 1-0 and Taylor doubled the lead soon after.
Witham were well on top and rounded off victory when Wareham headed in from a corner.
Substitute Reis Farley-Hearn was unfortunate with a long shot that was saved late on, as Town took the points.
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