With Team Bury out of action, Little Oakley moved into top spot in the Kent Blaxill Essex and Suffolk Border League premier division with a 2-0 victory at Coggeshall Town.
But the University of Essex fell down 2-1 at Gas Recreation.
Earls Colne continued their erratic season with a 4-1 win over Great Bentley and Weeley Athletic turned their recent form upside down with a 9-2 win over Alresford Colne Rangers.
Ross Nash scored two, Wayne Chapman two and Steve Duncan two, with singles coming from Russell McClean, Wayne Lamb and Carl O'Sullivan.
Pickard scored two for Alresford.
In the first division, Hedinghams United gave up the lead to a hungry Bradfield Rovers side, who beat them 4-2.
Bradfield scored goals through James Scott, with a hat-trick, and one from Kieran Evans.
Lawford Lads moved up to second spot with a 5-2 win over Boxted Lodgers.
Sudbury Athletic had a 3-0 win over Gosfield United and Glemsford drew 1-1 with Foxash Social, despite being reduced to ten men for most of the second half.
Mistley United trounced Bures United 7-0.
Their scorers were Lewis Brown-Sawyer with three, Kevin Brown, Chris Warren, Kevin Barham and Shaun Garrad. The scores were level until the 41st minute and then two goals from Brown-Sawyer in four minutes put Mistley on top at the interval.
They dominated the second half, running in five more goals.
In the premier reserve division, leaders West Bergholt lost at home to White Notley 4-3, who now move up to share top spot but with games in hand.
Great Bentley moved above Gas Recreation with a 2-1 win, but all the rest of the league shared points with Little Oakley drawing 2-2 with Coggeshall Town and Weeley drew with Alresford 2-2.
Mistley United drew 1-1 with Bures United, with Lee Gregory scoring for Mistley.
In the first reserve division, the weather claimed a couple of matches, allowing Sudbury Athletic to extend their lead – despite only drawing 1-1 at Gosfield. Dedham failed to close the gap as they lost 2-1 against Mersea Island.
Boxted moved into the challenging bunch as they beat Lawford Lads 2-1 and Bradfield Rovers helped the club to a notable first reserves win as they beat Hedinghams 2-0.
In the Tommy Thompson Cup, Brightlingsea Reserves and the University of Essex Reserves locked horns and, after 120 minutes, they were still locked together at 2-2.
Out came the penalties and it was Brightlingsea who went through to the next round as they edged out the University 4-2.
In the Border League Reserve Cup, Holland travelled over to Foxash with their sights set on the semi-final but Foxash were in no mood to roll over and, in a thrilling match in extra-time, Holland snatched the tie 5-4.
Brightlingsea United moved on in the Essex Premier Cup as they visited Grays Reserves and dumped them out 5-2.
White Notley overcame Concord Reserves 5-2, with Brendon Corr scoring four and John Read one.
Tiptree Heath lost out to Hutton 5-2 after extra-time and Clacton United’s game fell foul of the weather and will be replayed next week.
Hatfield Peverel and West Bergholt went all the way as they could not be separated at 1-1 after extra-time and penalties were needed to allow Bergholt to progress 4-2, leaving just the clash between Holland and Dedham Old Boys which saw Holland go through 4-3.
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