With leaders Needham Market not playing, the win saw the visitors move to the top of the table, although you'd fancy Needham to return there as they have an astonishing five games in hand to play on Wingate.

Redbridge started the brighter and good play from Kevin Mcleod in midfield put Ellis Skidmore clean through on goal. Just as the striker looked to shoot past Gavin King, a poor touch let him down, allowing Wingate’s keeper time to get down and block the ball.

King was in the thick of the action moments later when Hyun-Jin Lee forced him into a save. It was good play by the Korean who since joining the club along with Skidmore has been a permanent regular in the Motormen’s starting line-up. Not long after that McLeod and Matty Gillingham also forced King into smart saves.

At the other end, Wingate were beginning to get into the game and Leon Smith who scored twice against Redbridge in the reverse fixture earlier this season was looking dangerous.

Using his pace well, Smith capitalised on a defensive error and looked odds-on to score but somehow James Redwood in goal for the Motormen managed to palm away the ball when the striker was attempting to round him. It was a similar story moments later when Smith latched onto a nice ball from Gary Burrell only to see a fine run into the box see another shot saved by Redwood.

Just as Redbridge’s midfield looked to be re-establishing itself on the game, Wingate surprisingly took the lead shortly before half time via a penalty. Smith was somewhat needlessly fouled just inside the box and Dave Laird confidently sent Redwood the wrong way to give the visitors a vital lead going into half time.

Redbridge had a nightmare start to the second half. A good ball in midfield from Joe O’Brien found the pacey Smith and again Redbridge were indebted to Redwood who tipped a low shot across goal wide for a corner. From that resulting corner, the ball was headed out to Wingate’s Josh Cooper who with one touch to control the ball struck the ball straight into the top left hand corner for a great goal.

There was nothing Redwood could do about it. Kris Taylor would have been disappointed with conceding a goal 3 minutes into the half as there’s no doubt he’d have wanted the team to keep it tight and get an equaliser. But then again, Cooper’s strike was a goal out of the blue which is something you get in football from time to time.

Despite that blow, Redbridge showed great spirit and after there on in, almost took complete control of the game. On the hour mark, Wingate’s lead was reduced back to one when a powerfully struck cross by McLeod out on the wing was faintly glanced in to the far corner of the net by Skidmore. It was the striker’s sixth goal since joining from Canvey Island on loan and but for some good defending from Wingate, the popular striker could well have scored another.

Only last ditch defending from Wingate’s centre backs aligned with some good saves from King kept Wingate ahead as Skidmore (twice) and Tom Stephen both saw chances blocked on goal.

Down at the other end, Redwood was keeping the Motormen in the game with the keeper making fine saves from Smith (for the umpteenth time on the night) and Wingate sub Lewis Jones on two occasions.

In the dying stages Julian Edwards was brought on and the experienced striker almost grabbed an equaliser. An excellent delivery out wide on the right from McLeod dissected it’s way into the penalty area into Edwards’s path, but just when he looked like hammering the ball home Wingate’s Dan Nielsen blocked the ball and the chance was gone.

Overall though despite the defeat it was a good performance by the Motormen who will need to really work hard and pick up points in the remainder of the month which see’s the team play three away games on the trot.