Two own goals were the difference on Tuesday evening at Rush Green, as Hakan Hayrettin’s side won through to the Fourth Round tie of the Essex Senior Cup, and a match against Maldon & Tiptree. Danny Bunce was once again available following this suspension, and he took his place in the back four alongside Junior Baker, with Lee Flynn and Craig Pope rested. Youngster Brian Moses made his first start for the club after recent appearances from the bench.

Luke Marshall, also back in the starting line-up, created the opening goal ten minutes before half time. The ex-Harlow Town winger delivered a dangerous cross from the right hand touchline, which Simon Peddie deflected past Richard Wray in the East Thurrock goal.
Chances fell to both sides in the second half, with the home side going close to extending the lead through Moses, Bunce and substitute Jared Small.

The second goal eventually came deep into stoppage time as Joao Carlos cut inside from the left, and as he shot the ball ricocheted off Joe Keith and trickled over the line.

After their win against Blues last Saturday, Maldon & Tiptree currently sit top of the table, five points ahead, and still with a game in hand. They defend their unbeaten start to the season at home to Wroxham, who themselves go into the game on the back of a confidence building 3-0 midweek win against third placed Heybridge Swifts.

Like Blues, Heybridge and Potters Bar Town are both on 24 points, and face trips to Ware and Witham Town respectively. Aveley occupy fifth place two points further back, and they welcome Soham Town Rangers to Mill Field.

Isthmian North Division
AFC Sudbury - Redbridge
Aveley - Soham Town Rangers
Chatham Town - Waltham Forest
Cheshunt - Needham Market
Ilford - Tilbury
Maldon & Tiptree - Wroxham
Thamesmead Town - Harlow Town
Waltham Abbey - Grays Athletic
Ware - Heybridge Swifts
Witham Town - Potters Bar Town

FA Trophy – Third Qualifying Round
Kingstonian - Brentwood Town

LEAGUE POSITIONS

FORM GUIDE
Grays Athletic – W L W W D L L W
Waltham Abbey – L D L W W D W D

FIXTURE HISTORY
Records show that Saturday’s fixture is the ninth between the two clubs. The first being in October 1984 in the Essex Senior Trophy, which Blues won 3-1 away from home thanks to a Micky Welch hat-trick.

Of the eight previous matches, Waltham Abbey have won just once; a league meeting at Capershotts in January 2011, which they won 2-0 thanks to goals from former Blue Kieran Ogunkoya and Thomas Laxton.

Blues secured their play-off place with victory in the corresponding fixture last season, as Nathan Gordon scored the only goal of the game midway through the second half, in April of this year. That match was one of four played between the two sides last year, after the two sides were drawn together in the FA Trophy Preliminary Round. The initial match ended level at 1-1, before a Jared Small hat-trick helped Blues to a comfortable 4-0 win the replay at Rookery Hill. They followed it up in December 2011, with a 2-0 win in the league thanks to goals from Anthony Ryan and Danny Bunce.

CLUB CONNECTIONS
Aaron Cato, Ibrahim Conteh, Papy Kanyuka, Kieran Ogunkoya, Tom Prendergast, Liam Thomas, Nick Wilson

If you know of any others, please let me know.

WHERE
Waltham Abbey FC, Capershotts, Sewardstone Road, Waltham Abbey, Essex EN9 1NX

HOW MUCH?
£8 Adults, £4 Concessions £1 Children. Programmes will be available at £2.

REFEREE
Referee Lee Marshallsay last took charge of a Blues match in March 2011 at Redbridge; as a goal from Kevin McLeod rescued a point for the hosts, after John Docker had given Julian Dicks’ side a first half lead.

MATCH UPDATES
Match updates available via the excellent Non League Live service. You can also follow @graysathletic for updates via Twitter (we're now back to using the main club account after a change of stance by the league). Join in the chat using #grayslive

CLUB WEBSITE
http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/walthamabbeysenior/