MALDON & TIPTREE 4 WITHAM TOWN 2

Ryman League division north

Maldon and Tiptree had to come from behind twice to earn three Ryman League division north points against local rivals Witham Town at Park Drive.

Despite crashing out of the FA Cup with a disappointing display last weekend, Witham came into the game on the back of a four-game winning run in the league.

And they would have fancied extending that having held the lead in both halves of the game, but the Jammers hit back to record their third league win in a row.

The game started at a hectic pace with both sides working hard and looking to move the ball quickly.

The frantic opening saw Witham almost snatch the lead in the first few minutes but the effort was just off target.

Their midfield industry pressed Maldon back, but it was the Jammers who had the best sight of goal in the first 20 minutes.

A 14th minute break down the left released Jerry Kamanzi, who slid the ball past Lewis Snelgrove, but James Regis had had the presence of mind to sweep behind his keeper and cleared the ball off the line.

It meant the game stayed deadlocked, but Witham took the lead in the 30th minute after Tim Monsheju had been fouled on the edge of the home penalty area.

The free-kick was played short to Nathan Korentang, who, under pressure from advancing defenders, drilled the ball into the bottom corner beyond the grasp of Daniel Wilks in the home goal.

It was a setback for Maldon, but they responded well and slowly built pressure on the Witham defence by working the ball well.

Their reward came in the 41st minute when Sam Newson tried his luck from the edge of the area and the ball deflected off a white shirt and past the dive of Snelgrove.

Having got back on level terms, Maldon tails were up.

A thunderous effort by Kamanzi was inches past the left upright and a flowing move from the Jammers had to be scrambled away before Liam Nash got a vital touch.

Nash did get a touch to a ball coming out from a free-kick, though, and his curling effort had to be tipped away by Snelgrove in the closing seconds of the first half.

Having ended the opening period very much in the ascendency, Maldon may not have wanted the half-time break to come.

However, they regained the initiative soon after the retart and Nash was involved again as he flashed a shot across the face of goal in the 58th minute and then drove a cross in that Newson was inches from converting for a 2-1 lead.

Witham remained a threat on the break, though, and after being released by an intelligent ball from substitute Scott Kemp, Monsheju’s lobbed shot was only just over the bar.

And they made Maldon pay for not taking their chances with a moment of magic in the 66th minute.

The ball fell to Elliott Ronto in a central position and about 30 yards out and he unleashed a thunderous shot that nestled in the top corner to regain the lead for Witham.

However, the visitors were unable to build on their lead as an error at the back saw them fail to clear their lines and Nash rifled a shot into roof of the net to restore parity.

Just as in the aftermath of the first goal, Maldon were visibly buoyed by their strike and Nash was the main thorn in Witham’s side.

Within a minute of pulling Maldon level, he went on a mazy run through the Witham defence that ended with him being felled in the penalty area and he picked himself up to put Maldon ahead from the spot.

Witham tried to get back and had some good spells of pressure in the final 20 minutes, but they lacked a killer touch and when Montel Agyemang tucked the ball away for Maldon’s fourth in time added-on at the end, the points were wrapped up for the hosts.

Maldon & Tiptree: Daniel Wilks, Kyle Hammond, Joe Claridge, Matt Lock, George Essuman, Billy Roast, Rhys Henry (Montel Agyemang 81), Jerry Kamanzi, Sam Newson, Liam Nash (Tyler Brampton 90), Adam Mills.

Subs not used: Curtis Haynes-Brown, Gavin Greenfield, David Levy.

Witham Town: Lewis Snelgrove, Ryan Miles, Tyler Hayes, Max Bradford (Lewis Payne 73), James Regis, Pat Ahern, Nathan Korentang, Michael Osei (Ryan Imbert 83), Tim Monsheju, Elliott Ronto, Usman Adeniji (Scott Kemp 59).

Subs not used: Lewis Down, Tom Robinson.