brentwoodtownfc.co.uk

Tuesday 7 September
RYMAN DIVISION ONE NORTH 
BRENTWOOD TOWN 1 EAST THURROCK UNITED 3
East Thurrock won this early season top-of-the-table clash at The Arena and ended Brentwood’s unbeaten start to the season.
Blues got off to the worst possible start, falling a goal behind with just under a minute on the clock. Neil Richmond found space and cleverly set up Kris Newby for an emphatic finish into the corner past Andy Hall.
The visitors showed why their results have been so good this season, working very hard all over the pitch and they were worth single goal lead at the interval. However, Brentwood did go very close to an equaliser on three occasions in the first half. In the 20th minute Ellis Remy had a clear sight of goal but the ball went wide with Blues claiming Rocks goalkeeper Richard Wray had got a touch for a corner. In the 37th minute Dee Okojie was unlucky to see his low, long range drive come out off the inside of a post and just before half time Wray did well to turn a powerful, curling free kick by Joao carlos over the crossbar.
Brentwood started the second half brightly with Nick Muir testing Wray after a good build up, but it was a false dawn as Neil Richmond made it 2-0 in the 49th minute, converting from close range after a corner.
Blues strengthened the midfield, bringing on Ross Parmenter and playing three at the back, but they fell further behind in the 70th minute. Kye Ruel was unlucky to see his clever lob over Hall stopped on the line by Brentwood’s recent defensive signing Ben Lewis, but Ruel got a second chance and rifled home from a slight angle.
Within three minutes a fine cross from Okojie was met by a powerful header by Remy into the corner to make it 3-1 and Blues were back in the game. Indeed, they did threaten to score again as they put the visiting defence under some pressure in the remaining minutes but it was East Thurrock’s night and they deservedly claimed the three points.
Brentwood Town: Hall, Doyle (Parmenter 56), Blewitt, Noel, Beale (Lewis 59), Dafter, Okojie, Muir, Ellis, Ryan (elbi 81), Carlos. Subs not used: Pennant, Pyne.