Monday, October 28, 2024

Brentwood on verge of best trophy run ever

Brentwood Town, who Hereford face in the FA Trophy second round next month, are on the verge of their best ever run in the competition.

On Saturday, the step four club knocked higher-graded Cray Valley Paper Mills out of the competition at home.

A stoppage time stunner saw Brentwood progress, as Michaela Georgopoulos reports for the club's official site.

The Blues, who ply their trade at step four in the Isthmian League North Division, took an early lead as the delivery of Shad Ngandu was headed into the net by captain Matt Cripps.

Minutes later The Blues doubled their lead through a superb edge-of-the-box strike by Jon Nzengo.

Cray Valley got one back a minute later as the shot of Danny Waldren got past Melvin Minter, but Jesse Olukolu made it three as his curling strike made its way into the net before Freddie Parker got his 12th goal in all competitions as he fired one home for the visitors.

Fumnaya Shomotun got the visitors back on level terms on the stroke of half time. With chances throughout the second half, the Blues regained the lead in the closing stages of stoppage time as substitute Benas Vaivada squared the ball into the box and was tapped home by Romél Aarons-Royal.

This victory, watched by 429 at the Brentwood Centre Arena, has equalled Brentwood Town’s best trophy run from three seasons ago, the match report said.

The side is managed by Keith Rowland, who as a player was signed by AFC Bournemouth manager Harry Redknapp, making his league debut appearance against Darlington on 17 August 1991.

In the summer of 1993, with Redknapp now assistant manager to Billy Bonds at West Ham, Rowland, was signed for £110,000 alongside midfielder Paul Mitchell. He played 91 games in all competitions for West Ham before going on to play for clubs including Queens Park Rangers, Chesterfield and Redbridge.