Having remained unbeaten in the league so far, Brentwood Town are back on the road in FA Trophy action, travelling to Woking to face Isthmian League South Central side, Westfield.
The Blues exited the FA Cup at the second qualifying round last month, therefore progression in the Trophy is vital for Keith Rowland’s side. Westfield will be a big challenge, however, having had a strong start to the season themselves.
The Blues
The Isthmian Premier League leaders travelled to Dulwich Hamlet on Saturday, and carried on their impressive unbeaten run in a 2-1 win, in front of over 2,000 spectators.
As has been the theme this season, the Blues went behind early on. Anthony Jeffery opened the scoring for the hosts in the 12th minute. From then on, Hamlet controlled the first half, with only limited possession for Town.
That was until the stroke of half-time, when Kymani Thomas forced a save out of Toby Bull in the Dulwich net, which was met by the head of Danny Ogunleye, who made no mistake from close range, giving the Blues a way back into the match.
The winner came late on for Brentwood, with former Hamlet player Max Hudson picking up the assist. After a great bit of play on the left wing, Hudson’s cross, aiming for substitute Charlee Hughes, was put into his own net by Michael Chambers, sending Brentwood back to Essex with all 3 points.
The game proved a difficult test for Keith Rowland's side, but as they have proven so far this season, they can always find a way back into a game.
The Field
Westfield have been in the Isthmian South Central Division for some time now, often competing near the top of the table. They achieved a playoff finish back in the 2023/24 season, but were unable to gain promotion to Step 3.
It’s been a good start to life this season for the Field, winning 4 of their 6 games so far. They sit 9th in the table, and have many games in hand on many of the teams around them; a promising sign for the season ahead.
Their last game came at home against Harrow Borough, with Westfield comfortable 4-1 winners. The goals came from Tom Dryer, Billy Nutbeam, Kyle Bailey and Manolis Gogonas for the hosts.
One to watch is Finn Evans, who so far this season has been a prolific striker for the Field. He’s scored three in the league, but has scored an additional four goals in cup competitions so far. With this being an FA Trophy match, the Blues will need to be sure to keep him quiet should they want to qualify for the 1st Round.
Final Word
Keith Rowland’s men had a great run in this competition last season, the kickstarter for a very memorable season, and for this reason will look to go far again. Westfield will be sure to make qualification a challenge for the Blues, and it promises to be an exciting clash for both teams.
