SECOND BEST

Tom Richardson was Blues nemesis on Saturday, registering a brace and causing havoc enabling Brentwood to claim the points and push their hosts out of the play off places. The visitors were clinically efficient all over the park, physically stronger and more determined than Blues who apart from a bright period in the first half were never at their best. Clearly the absence of Lewis Dark and Callum Leahy weakened the midfield area. Losing Ryan Melaugh, Aron Gordon and Lewis Clark plus the dismissal of Jimmy Smith didn't help their cause, but even allowing for this they were beaten by a better team on the day.

The defeat although not the ideal outcome still leaves Blues two remaining fixtures to try and secure a playoff place, but it's going to be a tough ask, facing Canvey away on Monday and Maldon & Tiptree at home in the season finale.

With so much at stake it was a tentative opening period with both teams adopting a cautious approach, the first chance fell to Anointed Chukwu glancing a header that failed to trouble Harry Girling. The tall striker was occupying the attention of Brentwood's defenders and causing problems early on.

David Knight tested Girling from distance, the keeper did well plunging to his right to gather comfortably.

Brentwood grew into the game where Daniel Ogunleye was causing problems for Macca Joynes , hugging the touchline he provided a ready outlet for them. Clearly a tactic, the visitors looked to knock ball at the heart of Blues back line and it payed dividends on a number of occasions.

The deadlock was broken on 21 minutes . Winning a free kick wide, and midway in Blues half, the ball was delivered deep into the eighteen yard box. Danny Sambridge came but failed to make a good contact with his fist allowing Richardson to nod home.

Aron Gordon responded when he forced another smart save from Girling. But by this stage the game was disjointed, frequent stoppages punctuated play . Brentwood though were now in control, bossing midfield, winning the vital second ball, whilst Blues lacked cohesion giving the ball away carelessly.

Under pressure Blues needed to get to half time and regroup but they failed to do so. On 42 minutes a long ball deep into Blues half was not dealt with by Geof Okonkwo - Sambridge rushed off his line was caught in no mans land, Richardson was quickest to the ball, placing a simple header into the unguarded net.

HT 0-2

It would appear Blues management were less than happy with the first half performance when the team took the field early for the second half. Initially it appeared to work, they were seeing more of the ball and playing with more urgency, but it failed to ruffle Brentwood.

Content to hold on to what they had Brentwood were playing percentage football, knocking balls down the channels, and then creating openings. They missed a golden opportunity to increase the lead when Ogunleye crashed the ball against the crossbar four yards out , then George Craddock supplied a cross, somehow turned over from close range by Matt Cripps.
Richardson had further chances to add to his tally denied firstly by a deflection, and then Sambridge.
Just after the half hour mark Blues lost key defender Lewis Clark forcing Smith into central defence with Mitch Hahn replacing Clark.

Riding their luck Blues had a mini revival ,putting together for the first time a neat passage of play, it culminated with Chukwu failing to hit the target blasting over and then his weak header sailed wide. Blues day got worse when Smith was shown red after a professional foul to deny Richardson. Mitch Hahn then epitomised their afternoon, when his usual accuracy in and around the box deserted him when his shot sailed high over the woodwork.

The final whistle saw the visitors celebrated exuberantly having outplayed an off colour Blues for long periods .

Sambridge, McQueen, Joynes, Okonkwo, Clark (Hahn 63), Smith, Gordon (Paxman 46), Moncur, Chukwu , Knight, Melaugh (Brown 45)

Subs not use: Daniel, Watts