Brightlingsea Regent 2, Tilbury 1

DESPITE taking the lead in this clash between promotion challengers in the Isthmian North, Tilbury ultimately came home disappointed.

Regent were fifth before the start with Dickers three places back so it was a meeting that both sides wanted to get the most from.

Tilbury were quickest to make a mark, Lewis Clark scoring after only six minutes when he rose above everyone and headed home from Macauley Joynes' corner.

However, Regent quickly recovered, Fletcher Alexander Hubbard producing an equaliser a quarter of an hour later when he latched on to a through ball and rounded Dockers' new keeper Tom Middlehurst before slotting the ball home. 

The addition of Middlehurst to Dockers' squad was low key. The 22-year-old, who follows Christian North, David Hughes and George Marsh in donning the Dockers number one jersey this season, came through the youth ranks at QPR before embarking on a non-League journey that has included signing for Maldon & Tiptree, Aveley, Coggeshall, Cambridge City and Hornchurch.

There was little between the two side before the break, and it was anyone's game at 1-1 at half time.

Regent made a bright start to the second half and came close to scoring Hubbard turned playmaker and delivered a perfect pass into the path of Harry McDonald but his effort came back off the crossbar.

Tilbury made a couple of changes, introducing Dan Trendall and Olly Sotoyinbo, but they failed to make an impact as Regent grabbed the lead on 77 minutes when Hubbard cut inside and fired a curling effort past Middlehurst.

Dockers made two more changes, introducing Sam Bantick and Connor Martin, but it was to little avail, though Bantick's free kick did cause momentary confusion in the home defence but Alex Hernandez was unable to make the most of the opportunity and shot wide.

A final throw of the dice saw Kieran Jones thrown on for added time but it wasn't to be and Dockers returned home defeated.

They remain eighth and quickly have an opportunity to move upwards on Tuesday (4 March) when Heybridge Swifts visit the EMR Stadium (7.45pm).