Brentwood Town kept pace with league leaders Folkestone Invicta, twice battling back to equalise before hitting three late goals against Chichester City.
Goals from Wyan Reid, a Danny Ogunleye brace, and substitutes Charlee Hughes and Jesse Olukolu sent the Blues back to Essex with a vital three points on a miserably wet afternoon in West Sussex.
The hosts started the game well, with a low shot from Lloyd Rowlatt saved by Melvin Minter early on. The Lilywhites took the lead on 5 minutes after Emmett Dunn’s cross took an unfortunate deflection off Max Hudson and slotted into the bottom corner.
The Blues responded well and started to look more dangerous on the attack. Benas Vaivada came the closest for the visitors, with his headed effort strike the post from Charlie Edwards’ dangerous cross.
Joseph Clarke looked to find a second for his team as his long ranged shot struck the crossbar, before Minter denied Rowlatt on the rebound.
It was Reid who found the Blues’ equaliser. A long ball from Aron Pollock down the right flank seemed harmless at first, only for Chichester ‘keeper Kieran Magee to slip over in the process, allowing Reid to nestle the ball into the far corner – his first goal of the season.
After the restart, Mo Jammeh regained the host’s lead in the 52nd minute. A long ball down the middle from Ben Pashley caused some confusion in the Brentwood backline, with Minter heading the ball away at the edge of his box, but only as far as Jammeh, who finished first-time into an empty net.
Manager Keith Rowland responded by bringing on striker Hughes as the Blues hunted down another equaliser.
Brentwood fought back again in the 69th minute, after Hudson’s cross caused a pinball-like scramble in the Chichester box, with the ball eventually ricocheting off Ogunleye’s left leg, and bouncing in off the post to level the scores once again.
With 10 minutes on the clock, the Blues continued to push and were rewarded as Ogunleye grabbed his 2nd of the game. Reid’s searching ball forward was headed backwards by Pashley towards his ‘keeper, however, Magee’s clearance was rash missing the ball completely, as Ogunleye intercepted, and calmly slotted home.
The hosts hit the crossbar for a second time through Olly Munt, but it was Hughes who secured a fourth as he capitalised off of a loose ball and fired home from close range.
The fifth and final of afternoon was sealed by Olukolu, as the tricky winger converted an in-swinging cross from Ogunleye down the centre of the net, earning the Blues a well-fought and impressive victory on the road.
By Michaela Georgopolous
