LEWIS Wood brought up his century of LITTLE OAKLEY goals as the Acorns maintained their unbeaten start to the Thurlow Nunn League campaign with a 2-1 victory at home to BRAINTREE TOWN RESERVES.

Centre-half Wood had headed narrowly wide and then against the bar before breaking the deadlock with an effort from the left that flashed inside the far post.

It was his 100th Oakley goal and number 101 followed soon after following a near-post header from Ben Gallifant's cross.

Luke Mayhew nearly made the points safe with a low effort that was turned round the near post by keeper Mohammed Ahmed.

But Braintree spun the match on its head by halving the deficit through Prince Kitoko, who capitalised after a mix-up in the Acorns' defence.

The visitors' Columbus Iyayi saw red for a second booking and after Jamie Dobkin made a brilliant goal-line clearance to keep Oakley ahead, the hosts nearly added a third when substitute Frank Selwyn saw his powerful, rising effort turned behind by Ahmed.

Oakley are yet to lose in the league and they climbed to third after this result, ahead of Saturday's tricky trip to leaders White Ensign.

Elsewhere tonight, other Thurlow Nunn League sides were in Essex Senior Cup action.

FC CLACTON slid to a 1-0 defeat at Redbridge while HARWICH AND PARKESTON went down by the same score at Takeley.

WIVENHOE TOWN, in contrast, won 1-0 at home to Barkingside, with Myles Passley's deflected effort putting the Dragons through.

Sam Cripps put COGGESHALL UNITED ahead in their tie at home to West Essex but the visitors equalised and eventually went through on penalties, progressing 6-5.

STANWAY ROVERS marched into the next round of the FA Vase after a 4-2 victory at home to White Ensign.

The match had been abandoned on Saturday due to a serious injury to one of the Ensign players.

Meanwhile, there was a crowd of nearly 400 for the FA Cup preliminary round replay between WITHAM TOWN and COGGESHALL TOWN.

The Seedgrowers progressed after a 3-1 victory, thanks to two goals from Nnamdi Nwachuku.

Joshua Pollard was also on target, with Danny Norton notching a 90th-minute consolation for Witham.