Neil Day admitted Basildon United were more ruthless than Wadham Lodge after they suffered a second successive 2-0 Essex Senior League defeat at Kitchener Road on Saturday.

Lodge started brightly against their resolute opponents, who began the day second in the table.

The home side peppered the Bees’ goal but it was Basildon who made their chances count, scoring twice after the break to condemn Tony Iveoil’s men to only their second home defeat of the campaign.

Lodge coach Day said: “We had chances to gain control of the game but Basildon were well organised and took their chances when they came along.

"In short they were more ruthless than us and that’s ultimately reflected in our respective league positions at this stage of the season.”

The defeat leaves Lodge fifth in the table ahead of Saturday’s game against Hullbridge Sports.

Waltham Forest are out of the bottom three for the first time since the start of the season following a 3-1 win at Tower Hamlets.

The hosts hit the post and had a number of other good chances to take the lead before O’Neal Rowe put them ahead midway through the first half.

Forest disappointed for much of the opening period but levelled just before the break when Solomon Ofori raced through and squared for Jose Agua to equalise. Second and third goals followed.

The home side struck the woodwork twice more in the second half and they were made to pay for their profligacy when Agua poked home his second from an Alan Callaghan cross.

A third goal followed in the last minute of normal time when Agua broke and with a three-on-one situation, squared for Ofori to net.

Forest, who have won three of their last six games, will hope their upturn in results continues at Sporting Bengal United on Saturday.