Brentwood win our battle of the Blues

It was third v second at the Arena last night, and the home Blues of Brentwood Town hammered the visiting Blues of Bury Town, three second half goals earning them victory- and delighting the leaders, too. Bury went ahead on thirteen minutes, Ryan Jolland with the opener, but that was as good as it got for the visitors as Brentwood turned on the style. On twenty one minutes Lyle Della-Verde drew the hosts level, and in the second half the traffic was rather one way. Ade Cole put the hosts ahead on fifty four minutes, and soon afterwards Brentwood were awarded a penalty, Daniel Ogunleye stepping up to score. Right at the end Ogunleye got another, his twenty sixth of the season, and four-one was the final outcome. 

A win- or indeed even a point- would have sent Bury back to the top, so Felixstowe and Walton United will also be delighted by the outcome, particularly because it increases their goal difference advantage significantly. Brentwood remain third, but have closed the gap to the leading duo five points- and opened up a nine point gap between themselves and sixth place Tilbury, whilst extending their unbeaten run to eleven matches. 

Waltham Abbey climbed to fourth with a narrow win over Grays Athletic. The match had only one goal, and it arrived eighteen minutes from time, Jason Hallett scoring it. Shortly afterwards the visitors went down to ten men, Sid Walker dismissed, and right at the end the hosts Lewwis Spence joined Walker in taking an early bath, but the Abbotts held on for three points. That’s eight wins from ten for the Abbotts, whilst Athletic are on a six match winless run.

Tilbury are only a point outside the top five- and have games in hand over all of those who occupy a play off place. The Dockers welcomed Concord Rangers to Chadfields, and killed off the Beachboys with two goals in the first half, Kieran Jones on sixteen minutes and Sam Bantick ten minutes later winning the contest. That’s thirteen for the season for Bantick.

Bottom side Ipswich Wanderers, without a win since September, yet again managed to end a match without anything to show for their efforts despite a decent performance. Every defeat for Wanderers seems to be a narrow one, but the latest in a large collection leaves them eleven points from safety. Last night’s victors were Cambridge City, who came from behind to make it seven matches unbeaten and climb to ninth- six points away from the top five. Wanderers went ahead on fourteen minutes, Ashley Blow delivering the, well, blow- but City levelled just before the break through Ramiah Mills, his third goal in five matches. With a draw looking likely, City deprived their hosts of even that with a goal three minutes from time, Jayden Gipson scoring the winner.

Basildon United have been in freefall, and their twelfth match without a win came against Redbridge. Solomon Ogunwomoju was the match winner for the Motormen, scoring on fifteen and thirty eight minutes at The Hive. The Bees did get a goal back in the second half, Nidal Berri with it, but it wasn’t enough to see them half their slide, and they are now sixteenth, albeit six points clear of danger. Redbridge are eleventh, eight points better off.