BRIGHTLINGSEA REGENT held their nerve to record an important, dramatic 4-3 victory against Corinthian Casuals.

It was only the R’s second home victory of their Bostik League premier division campaign, having taken three points from their last match at the Taydal Stadium, against Burgess Hill Town.

They carried on where they left off that afternoon with an astonishing two goals in the opening six minutes.

Jordan Barnett gave them a dream start, turning in Aaron Condon’s cross, and Billy Hunt swiftly made it 2-0.

Condon spun on the edge of the box and fired home to stretch the lead midway through the first half.

Gabriel Odunaike pulled one back but Condon pounced again, scoring direct from a corner just after the half-hour mark, to give his side a comfortable 4-1.

However, despite the score, it was far from plain sailing in the second half.

Maxwell Oldham reduced the deficit and Hakeem Adelakun made it 4-3.

However, Regent held on in the closing seconds for a hard-earned, if nerve-jangling, victory to move up to 17th.

Elsewhere, MALDON AND TIPTREE jumped up to second in division north after coming from behind to defeat Felixstowe and Walton 2-1.

Miles Powell put the Suffolk side ahead but the Jammers turned the contest on its head thanks to quickfire goals from De-Carrey Sheriff, from the penalty spot, and Eddie Dsane.

COGGESHALL TOWN are third after a 3-0 success at home to Great Wakering Rovers.

Sam Bantick scored their opener just before the half-hour mark and more goals followed after the break from Conor Hubble and Ross Wall.

Neighbours HEYBRIDGE SWIFTS, in fifth, also enhanced their play-off chances with a 5-1 success at Romford.

Matthew Price’s penalty set them on the road to victory and although Reece Hewitt equalised, Guillem Ramon-Carreno put the visitors back in front on the stroke of half-time.

Price then gave his side a cushion with another goal just after the hour-mark and, after Thomas Potter saw red for Romford, Swifts flexed their muscles thanks to further goals from Jack Adlington-Pile and Elliott Ronto.

WITHAM TOWN, who started out bottom of the table despite back-to-back wins in their previous two matches, added three more points to their tally with an excellent 1-0 victory at Canvey Island.

Johnny Ashman grabbed their precious winner just after the hour-mark.

It hoisted them up to 16th in the table and given the context of the victory, and their amazing upturn in form, Witham’s win is surely deserving of our performance award for the Gazette’s Bostik League sides.