MALDON and Tiptree suffered another damaging defeat in their play-off quest as they succumbed to a 3-0 home defeat against Bowers and Pitsea, writes LEE WITNEY.

The Jammers fell to a fourth successive loss, in Pitching In Isthmian League division north.

Bowers had the first chance of the afternoon when Solomon Addy got free on the Maldon left.

Cutting in on his left foot, he got a shot away that forced Luca Collins into a smart save low down his left.

With 16 minutes gone, Maldon were awarded a free-kick that was just about cleared by Bowers who then managed to counter, but more good keeping by Collins kept the scores level.

Maldon should have scored with 25 minutes gone.

Matt Yates' ball down the right found Hakeem Sandah who whipped a cross into the back post where George Smith was unmarked.

But Smith scuffed the shot wide and Bowers had a huge let off.

Sure enough, Bowers took the lead deep into first-half stoppage time.

Maldon only half cleared a corner to the edge of the box where Addy was waiting to rifle home.

Louis Britton nearly equalised for the Jammers in the 52nd minute as his header from a brilliant Alfie Mason cross was cleared off the line by Luke Reeve.

Smith was denied by some alert goalkeeping from David Hughes, who was on hand to clear following a smart flick-on from Britton.

Benas Vaivada had a glorious chance to double Bowers’ lead in the 67th minute, but he somehow hit the bar from four yards for one of the misses of the season.

A minute later, Matt Price thought he’d scored as he headed home a free-kick, but was denied by the offside flag.

Only some sensational goalkeeping from Collins prevented an own goal when he pushed the ball away for a corner.

The visitors were awarded a penalty in the 77th minute when Lewis Jaggs felled Price in the box.

Despite a long delay as Price was treated for an injury, Addy made no mistake from 12 yards to double Bowers' lead.

And Thomas Stagg put Bowers out of sight in stoppage time, latching onto a loose backpass to slot home.

The Jammers’ misery was compounded with the last kick of the game when Smith was denied from the spot by Hughes.