By JOHN CHUBB

@JohnCphoenixfm

It was a depleted Isthmian League programme this weekend, due to some clubs’ involvement in the FA Trophy and a few weather-related postponements.

Consequently none of our local Isthmian Premier Division sides played league fixtures, but there was still plenty of action to talk about in the step 4 sections.

Coggeshall Town held on to third spot in the Isthmian North on Saturday despite being held to a 1-1 draw at home to Soham Town Rangers.

Ross Wall put the Seedgrowers in front after 17 minutes before Matthew Allen levelled with 19 minutes of the match to go.

Grays Athletic moved back into the play-off positions with a 1-0 win at Histon, Steve King scoring the only goal of the game in the 39^th minute to put his side into fifth place.

Grays’ neighbours Tilbury moved up a place above Histon to 9^th after their 1-1 draw with Felixstowe & Walton United at Chadfields.

David Knight put the Dockers in front with a 56^th minute penalty before Jack Newman equalised for the Suffolk club 14 minutes later.

An all-Essex affair at Lower Road saw Hullbridge Sports and Basildon United share the spoils in another 1-1 draw, both goals coming within the space of a few minutes of the first half.

Luke Hornsley scored for the hosts before Ernest Okoh equalised for the Bees shortly afterwards.

Sports remain in 15^th place whilst Basildon moved above fellow strugglers Brentwood Town into 18^th spot.

Despite the raft of new signings by new owner/manager Glenn Tamplin, Romford remain bottom of the North Division at present and still have only one league win under their belts thus far in 2019/20.

Their trip to Norfolk to face Dereham Town ended with a 3-1 defeat.

Ryan Crisp, Rhys Logan and Adam Hipperson were all on target for the home side, with ex-Liverpool striker Adam Morgan netting what transpired to be a consolation goal for the Boro.

The matches between Brentwood Town and Heybridge Swifts, and Witham Town and Canvey Island were both postponed due to waterlogged pitches.

In the South Central Division Harlow Town drew 1-1 at Marlow, for whom Kelvin Bossman cancelled out Tayo Oyebola’s 18^th minute opener for the Hawks who remain in play-off contention, but wins for fellow promotion-chasers Ware and Uxbridge meant they slipped from second place to fourth.

Waltham Abbey are now in 9^th spot after their 2-0 win at home to Chertsey Town, thanks to a 37^th minute goal from Charlie Edwards and one from Prince Domafriyie just before the final whistle.

Just behind them in 10^th place are Barking, who got the better of Bracknell Town in a seven-goal thriller at Mayesbrook Park.

Michael Dixon put the Blues in front with 12 minutes played before Nathan Minhas pulled one back four minutes before half-time.

A Johnny Ashman brace and a goal from Nana Boakye-Yiadom looked to have put the game beyond Bracknell’s reach.

But the visitors refused to throw the towel in, Kai Walters and Sebastian Bowerman both netting to make it a nervous final few minutes for their hosts.

Barking managed to hold on though, and the match finished 4-3 in their favour.