BOWERS & Pitsea maintained their place at the Isthmian North summit by producing a winning performance against AFC Sudbury.

However, Basildon United and Great Wakering Rovers conceded three apiece in defeats, while Canvey Island were made to settle for a share of the points after a late equaliser at Bury Town.

Bowers & Pitsea 3-0 AFC Sudbury (by Dean Wootten)

Bowers & Pitsea were made to battle as they eventually overcame AFC Sudbury 3-0 at the Len Salmon Stadium.

After a goalless first half in which neither side inspired, Bowers finally wore down the visitors through goals from Martyn Stokes, Brad Warner and James Thomas.

Bowers enjoyed early success by pressing high and causing AFC Sudbury to make the mistakes and in the eight minute one such mistake led to the first chance of the game. After Paul Walker had clipped the ball out of play, Quentin Monville’s long throw was cleared to Warner but his first time volley was over.

When AFC Sudbury were able to penetrate the press they looked threatening and they came close to opening the scoring when Paul Hayes flicked the ball around the corner for Callum Harrison, but his drive was wide of the post.

Ben Sartain had a great chance to give Bowers the lead when he was played in by Warner but his attempted shot into the bottom corner was tipped wide by Walker. From the resulting corner, Warner’s cross beat everyone before cannoning off the post but nobody was on hand to tap home.

The remainder of the first half was a poor affair with both sides sloppy in possession and chances were a rarity, the best of which saw Sartain fire over and Baris Altintop head over from a Ben Hunter corner for the visitors.

AFC Sudbury were presented with a chance within 30 seconds of the restart when Leahy felled Harrison, but Joe Whight bent his free-kick over the top. Whight’s centre-back partner Tyler French produced a fantastic block to deny David Knight after Tom Stephen had stolen the ball off Tom Dettmar on the edge of the Sudbury penalty box. From the resulting corner, Knight found Stokes who headed home from four yards.

Bowers soon had a great chance to double their lead when Lewis Manor intercepted French’s square ball and he held up well before playing in Monville, but the winger blasted the ball into the side netting when he would have been better off firing across the goal.

Andy Wilton had a moment to forget when he conceded an indirect free-kick as he picked the ball up after dropping it attempting a throw. Fortunately for the Bowers goalkeeper his wall made the block to spare him any embarrassment.

AFC Sudbury had been dominating the play, so when Bowers doubled their advantage it was certainly against the run of play.

Jamie Dicks, who had just replaced Knight, clipped the ball into Manor who found Warner and he in turn played in Monville. The winger was able to shrug off the challenge of French but fired his shot against the post. Warner had maintained his run though and received the rebound, beating the tackle of Hunter and smashing the ball home.

Bowers completed the scoring as substitute Thomas popped up at the back post to head home fellow substitute Max Cornhill’s flick on from a Monville throw in.

Basildon United 0-3 Tilbury

Basildon United were condemned to a heavy defeat by Tilbury at the Ho Ho Stadium.

A Lewis Smith brace followed up George Sykes’ opener to allow former Bees boss Marc Harrison to enjoy a fine win on his return to Basildon.

Home goalkeeper Emmanuel Olajide needed to be alert early on as he held onto an attempted cutback by former Canvey Island striker Sykes.

But the Dockers broke the deadlock just before the half hour mark as Sykes found the bottom corner after latching onto a ball over the top of the Basildon defence.

The visitors doubled their advantage on the stroke of half-time as ex-East Thurrock United man Smith rounded off a fine counter-attack.

Tilbury goalkeeper Rhys Madden thwarted Ash Blackburn after 64 minutes and the Dockers completed the scoring nine minutes later as Smith grabbed his second goal of the afternoon.

Brentwood Town 3-2 Great Wakering Rovers

Great Wakering Rovers suffered a narrow Isthmian North defeat at the hands of Brentwood Town.

Shomari Barnwell and Jake Gordon were on target for Garry Kimble’s side, but the goals were not enough for Wakering to seal a positive result.

Wakering enjoyed a dream start as Barnwell gave the visitors a seventh minute lead.

However, Brentwood hit back as Ernest Okoh levelled matters six minutes later.

And Town were in the ascendancy thanks to two goals in quick succession after the break.

Alfie Hilton handed Brentwood the lead on 49 minutes, while Okoh gave the home side a two-goal cushion six minutes later.

Gordon halved the deficit with a penalty on the hour mark and Wakering’s chances of staging a fightback suffered a blow when George Cox was given his marching orders.

Kimble’s side pushed for a point on the road, but Brentwood were able to see out what remained of the encounter.

Bury Town 1-1 Canvey Island

A stoppage time equaliser saw Canvey Island miss out on the chance to leapfrog Bury Town in the Isthmian North standings.

Josh Hutchinson had put the Gulls in front with an early goal, but Kyran Clements levelled in the 94th minute to frustrate the visitors.

Canvey moved into a fifth minute lead as Hutchinson found the bottom corner of the net having been picked out by Adam Vyse.

Mark Bentley’s side thought they had doubled their advantage with Martin Tuohy heading home with just 18 minutes on the clock, but the goal was disallowed for an adjudged push on Clements.

James White produced some outstanding defending two minutes later to clear Cemal Ramadan’s lob over Harry Palmer off the line.

Bury felt they had found an equaliser two minutes after the break, but the officials insisted Palmer had kept the goalbound header out.

Home goalkeeper Luis Tibbles impressively tipped Sam Collins’ powerful shot over the crossbar, while Bury were handed a way back into the match.

Just 10 minutes after coming off the bench, Daniel Francis committed a foul and the referee pointed to the spot.

However, Ramadan fired his 77th minute spot-kick over the crossbar to frustrate the home fans.

It looked as though the visitors had done enough to seal all three points, but they were to suffer late heartbreak.

Clements headed home in the fourth minute of stoppage time to ensure a share of the spoils.