Woodford Town maintained their five-point lead at the top of the Essex Senior League with a 4-0 win at Sporting Bengal United.

And Romford kept pace with a 3-1 victory over Little Oakley, as Athletic Newham ran out 4-0 winners at White Ensign.

But Barking, Frenford and Ilford all fell to defeats on their travels.

Unbeaten Woods travelled to Mile End Stadium to face in-form, fourth-placed Bengal and took the lead on 32 minutes when Ernest Okoh's powerful cross found the net via a home defender.

Okoh made it 2-0 just five minutes later, tapping in from Luke Parrott's pass, to give Bengal a mountain to climb in the second half.

And they were unable to mount a comeback on this occasion, with David Gokou-Siakouri making it 3-0 via the far post on 72 minutes.

Parrott got in on the act in stoppage time to complete a fine day for manager Shane Baptiste ahead of his birthday.

Meanwhile, Romford's Hassan Nalbant struck twice in the final quarter of an hour to see off Little Oakley at the Lawtech Stadium. 

Boro saw Finlay Dorrell stretchered off in the first half, on his return from a lengthy injury lay-off, but took the lead in stoppage time when Ashaan Siddik was fouled in the box and Kris Newby converted the penalty.

Harry Mann levelled on the hour, but Nalbant restored Romford's lead on 74 minutes and made sure of the points when firing into the roof of the net five minutes later.

Athletic Newham struck twice in each half to see off Ensign for a fourth win in six league outings at Burroughs Park.

But Ilford were edged out by a solitary goal at bottom club Coggeshall Town after Iku Adjarho was sent off for denying a goalscoring opportunity after 20 minutes.

Joe Lilly and Zayshaun Asamoah went close to breaking the deadlock early in the second half, before the hosts struck on 70 minutes and Jack Griggs hit a post for the 10-man Foxes late on.

Barking gave a first start to Addae Paponette at West Essex after his hat-trick in the club's 9-1 FA Youth Cup win over Dagenham & Redbridge.

But, after kick-off was delayed due to traffic issues, the hosts had the better of a goalless first half and took the lead just three minutes after the restart when Mitchell Arthur struck.

Harvey Brown and Jack Dickinson had efforts saved for Blues, before Denzel Effah cut inside and doubled West Essex's lead on 78 minutes.

Frenford were held up en route to Saffron Walden Town and found themselves behind after just three minutes as Olly Miles netted.

And things only got worse as Miles helped himself to three more goals at Catons Lane to put the Bloods 4-0 up at the break.

The visitors managed to avoid any further damage in the second half, but that was scant consolation.