Brentwood Town narrowed the gap in the play-off positions with a thrilling victory over Hashtag United.
Goals from Danny Ogunleye and Charlie Edwards, alongside an added-time header from Ethan Kaiser, secured all three points for the Blues at Parkside yesterday afternoon.
Brentwood began strongly, with Kymani Thomas and captain Matt Cripps both testing the goal inside the opening 10 minutes.
However, it was the Tags who opened the scoring after 15 minutes. Jaxon Brown was fouled just outside the box, and former Blues defender Josh Rusoke – deadly from set-pieces – delivered a dangerous ball into the area, where Luke May-Parrott was on hand to flick the ball into the back of the net.
Brentwood looked to respond quickly, with former Hashtag striker Bradley Sach involved in two promising moments. First, his fizzed first-time effort was held by Jack Giddens, before the in-form attacker glanced a header just wide after good work from Max Hudson down the left flank.
After 30 minutes, and having spent much of it penned into their own half, Hashtag created their first chance from open play. Brentwood failed to clear their lines following pressure from Kenny Aileru and Jason Ring on the right, allowing Tags captain Max Cornhill to fire over from distance without troubling Aiden Prall.
The chance seemed to spark Brentwood into life as they searched for an equaliser before the break. Their intentions were rewarded moments later. A long throw from Andrew Freeman was expertly controlled by Sach, whose composed touch allowed him to square the ball across the box for Danny Ogunleye to tap home on his return from injury – his 20th goal of the season.
The visitors continued to push forward in search of another before half-time. Just two minutes after equalising, Brentwood broke quickly through Alejandro Machado, who drove forward towards the Hashtag box, but his strike from the edge of the area was gathered by Giddens.
Brentwood carried their momentum into the second half and took the lead just a minute after the restart. Hudson did well to retrieve the ball from Thomas on an overlapping run before squaring for Charlie Edwards at the back post, who ghosted into the box to slot home his third goal of the season.
Hashtag responded by pushing forward in search of an equaliser. On 55 minutes, a dangerous cross from Rusoke caused hesitation in the Brentwood defence, allowing an unmarked May-Parrott to poke an effort over the bar – a let-off for the Blues.
The hosts continued to threaten and struck the woodwork twice in the space of two minutes. First, Rusoke’s free-kick clipped the outside of the post before Evans Kouassi smashed an effort against the opposite upright following a dangerous cross from Aileru.
Brentwood’s best chance since taking the lead came on 73 minutes. A short corner routine involving substitutes Ade Cole and Aaron Sterling ended with Sterling delivering an inviting cross into the box, but Ogunleye’s header sailed over the bar.
There was still time for more drama, and moments later former Blues midfielder Sam Park produced a moment of brilliance to level the score. A cross from Chaynie Burgin was flicked on by May-Parrott, allowing Park to collect the ball on the edge of the area before burying a stunning strike into the top corner – a goal-of-the-season contender.
The visitors almost responded immediately. Substitute Benas Vaivada met Machado’s through ball down the left flank, but his effort across goal drifted narrowly wide of the post.
Hashtag continued to apply pressure as Kouassi, a constant threat throughout the afternoon, saw another effort deflected narrowly over the bar. Moments later Burgin went down in the box under pressure from Ethan Kaiser, prompting loud penalty appeals, but the referee waved play on.
Then came the defining moment – and arguably Hashtag’s best chance of the game. As the match entered added time, the hosts broke on the counter once again, with Burgin feeding May-Parrott through one-on-one with Prall. The Brentwood goalkeeper made himself big to deny the striker with a crucial save.
Seconds later, Brentwood went straight up the other end and won a corner in one final attacking push. Ade Cole’s delivery was initially headed goalwards by substitute Charlee Hughes before Giddens punched clear, only for the ball to fall kindly to Ethan Kaiser, who headed home from close range to score his first goal in a Brentwood shirt.
Heartbreak for Hashtag, who had made life incredibly difficult for play-off chasing Brentwood.
Moments later referee Nick Reece brought proceedings to an end, meaning Brentwood remain in third place – just one point behind Aveley in second – and extend their cushion to nine points over those outside the play-off positions.
The Blues return to league action this Saturday when they host league leaders Folkestone Invicta at The Arena, where they will be hoping to make it five wins in a row.
HASHTAG UNITED: Giddens (GK), Ring (Wooldridge 52′), Smith, Wells, Rusoke, Cornhill (C), Park, Kouassi, Aileru (Ogbebor 90+4′), Brown, (Burgin 63′) May-Parrott
Subs not used: Aarons Royal, Wilson
BRENTWOOD TOWN: Prall (GK), Freeman, Cripps (C), Kaiser, Hudson, Edwards, Machado, Johnson (Cole 73′), Ogunleye (Hughes 77′), Thomas (Sterling 64′), Sach (Vaivada 64′)
Subs not used: Olukolu
Words by Michaela Georgopolous & Chris Berry
