Dunmow Town fell to a sixth straight defeat in the Eastern Counties League - as early season optimism starts to dribble away.

The latest reverse was a 2-1 loss at Tower Hamlets and sent the former First Division South leaders out of the top five and out of the play-off places.

Stuart Zanone was on target once again for Dunmow, although the hotshot also missed a penalty, but strikes from Connor French and Kiernan Hughes-Mason, the last of them late on.

They face struggling St Margaretsbury at home on Saturday.

Saffron Walden Town have their big FA Vase third round clash at Tilbury then but the Bloods did not enjoy the best of warm-ups for it, going down 3-0 at Woodford Town on Friday night.

All the goals came in the second half at Ashton Playing Fields but Walden will point to a number of chances in both halves that they could not put away.

Takeley, however, won by the same score at West Essex

Caoilan McGettigan, Hodje Almeida-Joaquim and Glenn O'Hanlon got the goals as the Blues move up to 16th, three places behind Walden.

They have Coggeshall Town at home on Saturday.

Stansted were beaten 3-1 at home to Cockfosters in the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division.

They were three down by half-time and only got their consolation in stoppage time at the end of the game, Scott Piggott the scorer.

They host Colney Heath on Saturday.

A volunteer at Bishop's Stortford Football Club, well known to followers of the game around Dunmow and beyond, has been selected for recognition by Essex FA for his long service to the game.

James 'Jimmy' Culleton has spent more than 50 years in the sport, representing a number of teams in the Mid Essex League as a young player including Great Baddow, Royal Engineers Social, Writtle and Marconi.

A twenty five year stint on the Mid Essex League management committee followed including five years as vice chairman.

His contributions to the game include over a dozen years as referee and 17 years managing the Mid Essex League representative side.

He was also recently appointed as league president.

Having spent several years as a match day host at Chelmsford City Football Club, Jimmy made the switch to Bishop's Stortford in November 2021.

Stortford chairman Ian Kettridge said: "It is a deserved honour. Volunteers are the lifeblood of football and the commitment and dedication that Jimmy has given to the game over many decades is extraordinary.

"We are fortunate to have Jimmy as part of our team and I am delighted that Essex FA have seen fit to recognise his important contribution."

Cullerton is also involved with Aythorpe Roding Cricket Club who play in the Mid Essex Cricket League where he is a vice president.

He played for the club a few years and his son, Neil, is still one of Roding's players.