LIFE after James Webster got off to a losing start for Brightlingsea Regent as they were beaten 3-0 by Tooting at North Road.

Brightlingsea had parted company with manager Webster, who has left to take the reins at Aveley, in midweek but they were unable to gain a positive result from their first Bostik League premier division outing without him.

Caretaker boss Ryan Salter took the helm but there was an early setback as Tooting grabbed an opener after just three minutes.

Mike Dixon fired the visitors into the lead and they held on to it until half-time, with Omar Folkes doubling the advantage on 53 minutes and Juevan Spencer adding a third two minutes before the end.

Meanwhile, Webster’s new side – Aveley – were also unable to take three points as they were pegged back, after leading 2-0 at half-time, to a 2-2 draw in Bostik League division north by Soham Town Rangers.

Elsewhere in division north, MALDON & TIPTREE extended their unbeaten run to seven games with a 2-1 win at Bury Town.

After a goalless first half, Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe fired the Jammers into the lead in the 57th minute and while they were pegged back by a Ricky Spriggs equaliser on 66 minutes, they went on to wrap up the win.

It came courtesy of a Kieran Bailey strike in the 77th minute to secure a 2-1 victory, although Maldon ended the game with ten men as Dexter Peter was sent off in the final minute.

While the Jammers were extending their run, WITHAM TOWN were extending a run of their own, but an unwanted one as their search for a win was stretched to eight games.

Witham were beaten 3-1 by division north leaders Canvey Island, with much of the damage done in the opening stages of the game.

Striker George Sykes took advantage of a handling error by Witham keeper Lewis Moore to prod home the first goal in the eighth minute and he doubled the lead with a good finish on 20 minutes.

Usman Adeniji halved the deficit in the 27th minute to boost the hosts, but they were unable to force an equaliser and the Gulls made the points safe when Sykes completed his hat-trick with a third goal on 70 minutes.