BOWERS & Pitsea remain at the top of the Isthmian North tree after coming from behind to seal a 3-1 win over Soham Town Rangers.

Sam Mulready put the struggling visitors ahead from the penalty spot, but a Lewis Manor goal and David Knight brace allowed Bowers to seal all three points at a wet and windy Len Salmon Stadium.

The hosts enjoyed the majority of possession in the early exchanges and Soham goalkeeper Josh Pope was quick off his line to thwart Brad Warner after the attacking midfielder latched onto Manor’s neat flick.

Soham thought they had taken the lead when Mulready headed beyond Bowers goalkeeper Andy Wilton with 16 minutes on the clock, but referee Chris Bodell ruled the goal out after the frontman pushed Tom Stephen to beat the home side’s left-back to the header.

However, the referee pointed to the spot eight minutes later when Stephen was adjudged to have fouled Callum Russell and Mulready fired the resulting spot-kick into the bottom corner of the net, sending Wilton the wrong way.

Quentin Monville inadvertently stopped Bowers drawing level as the winger managed to clear Martyn Stokes’ goalbound header – seven minutes before the break – off the line.

Monville then tried his luck shortly before the interval, but his drive deflected inches wide of the target.

However, the equaliser came from the resulting corner as Richard Halle’s knockdown was poked into the back of the net by Manor from close range.

Knight was brought off the bench as Bowers looked to turn the game on its head. And the striker made a telling impact as he got his name on the scoresheet just nine minutes after replacing James Thomas.

Halle headed a Warner corner goalwards and Knight was on hand to head home from close range.

Bowers came close to giving themselves a two-goal cushion when Manor’s flicked header rattled the post moments later.

Manor also saw his header expertly tipped over the crossbar by Pope after Bowers’ all-time leading goalscorer had been found by Ryan Sammons.

Knight completed his brace with the last kick of the game to seal all three points and notch a third consecutive win.

Bowers & Pitsea: Wilton, Sammons, Stephen, Stokes, Halle, Leahy, Monville (Nyanja 89), Sartain, Manor, Warner, Thomas (Knight 55)