HULLBRIDGE Sports inflicted a first defeat on Enfield 1893 following a 3-2 thriller at Lower Road.

Enfield went into the match unbeaten and second in the table on goal difference from table-topping Great Wakering Rovers.

The visitors took the lead in the fifth minute through Craig Wood but Hullbridge were on terms after the 18th minute when Dean Wallace scored from outside the area.

Jimmy Cox scored from the penalty spot in the 30th minute before Enfield equalised in the 71st minute through John Bricknell.

But Cox grabbed his second seven minutes from time as Sports bounced back from their 3-0 midweek defeat to Bowers & Pitsea.

Great Wakering capitalised on Enfield’s defeat with a 3-2 win over Sporting Bengal United putting them three points clear at the top.

Shahed Ahmed put Bengal ahead in the 26th minute but Wakering player-manager Dan Trenkel levelled for the hosts five minutes later.

Dave Collins scored two in the 71st and 77th minutes to put Wakering in control, although there was a nervy final 10 minutes after Abdul Bari pulled a goal back for the visitors.

Southend Manor went down 3-1 to Takeley as the league’s leading scorer Reece Dobson took his tally for the season to 12 with an early hat-trick.

Dobson scored in the second, fifth and 12th minute to put Manor on the back foot before the visitors scored a consolation goal.

Bowers & Pitsea followed up their 3-0 win over Hullbridge with a 3-3 draw at home to Ilford.

Goals from Chris Lockwood (3) and Junior Ogedi-Uzodule (19) put Ilford ahead but Alex Teniola reduced the arrears on the stroke of half-time before levelling just after the interval.

Michael Osei-Sahene put Bowers in front for the first time only for Gavin Hinds-Cadette to equalise for Ilford.

Basildon United went down 3-2 away to Sawbridgeworth.