Not the first time in recent weeks, the awarding of the star performance honour among north Essex's Bostik League sides proved a tough decision with a couple of very worthy contenders.

Both are heavily involved in the division north promotion campaign but goals from two players who started their careers in the youth ranks at Colchester United saw their team edge ahead in the fight to be star performers.

One side that has frequently claimed the honour this season is Brightlingsea Regent, but they missed out this time as they drew 1-1 at Worthing.

The hosts occupied the final play-off place ahead of the game on the south coast and with the R's chasing a spot in the end-of-season battle themselves, they knew a three-point haul could be important to their hopes.

Matt Cripps put them on the right course as he found the target in the sixth minute, but that early goal was cancelled out as David Ajiboye fired in from the penalty spot on 35 minutes.

That was how it stayed after the break, but the officials were kept busy as both sides picked up four cautions apiece and Worthing were reduced to ten men after the 43rd minute sending off of Alex Parsons.

Brightlingsea threw everything at their hosts in the second half as Aaron Condon and Billy Hunt hit the woodwork and Jake Gould, who was making his 400th senior appearance for Brightlingsea, saw a last-gasp effort somehow kept out by home keeper Lucas Cavagnari as the R's had to settle for a point.

The race for promotion is also getting ever hotter in division north and there is plenty of north Essex interest.

Heybridge Swifts slipped from third to fourth as they were held to a 0-0 draw by Great Wakering Rovers, with their place in the top three taken by Aveley, who broke Witham Town hearts on Friday night.

Witham held the lead at half-time after Johnny Ashman had put them ahead from the penalty spot on seven minutes, but Aveley levelled with a Harry Gibbs equaliser on 67 minutes.

The high-flying hosts then tested Witham and although it looked as though the visitors had held on for a deserved point, they were left crestfallen by goals in the 88th and 90th minutes from Conor Mead and Bobby Vaughan for a 3-1 win for Aveley.

So it was left to two other promotion-chasing sides to vie for star performance honours.

Going close were Maldon & Tiptree, who staged a stunning late push to grab a 3-2 win at Tilbury that kept them second.

Having fallen behind on eight minutes to a Jack Cawley strike, the Dockers were in charge heading into the final 15 minutes after goals either side of half-time put them 2-1 ahead.

However, the Jammers showed their promotion credentials as a strike on 76 minutes by Eddie-Louis Dsane set up a grandstand finish and Oluwatobi Coker duly delivered with an 88th minute winner in a 3-2 victory.

It was impressive, but not quite enough to take top billing and that went instead to Coggeshall Town, who won 2-1 against Bury Town.

The Seedgrowers occupy the final play-off spot in the table, but Bury were one place below them at the start of the day and their win has helped solidify their place in the top five.

The win came courtesy of strikes by former Colchester United pair Conor Hubble and Nnamdi Nwachuku in the first half and although Bury halved the deficit after the break, Coggeshall held on to be our star performers.