Brentwood get the blues- but deserve so much more

Three-three, seven-two, nil-nil, four- two, three-one. An extremely impressive set of results, and one which you would expect to belong to a club sitting much higher than sixteenth place in their division; but sadly for Brentwood Town the list is made up entirely of FA Trophy outcomes and their league form has been far less convincing. This afternoon they faced their biggest challenge yet, as Dartford came calling in the Third Qualifying Round of the road to Non-League Finals Day.

To say that Brentwood were inconsistent would be as obvious as claiming that President Trump was a little intolerant, and yet, when they have been good, they have been very, very good indeed. Last Saturday they entertained previously unbeaten Haringey Borough at the Arena and sent them packing with a goal in each half, and then three days later defeated Soham Town Rangers 3-1, but those two victories followed a four-one thrashing at Maldon & Tiptree and a two-one home defeat against Bury Town. That said, send them out in the FA Trophy and the outcome is likely to be far more positive, as Bostik Premier League Needham Market found out in the last round, going three goals down by half time and crashing out of the competition despite pulling one back in the second half.

Dartford fans arrived confident, however, as well they might. As they stood in a queue outside the ground at ten past one, their coach having made double-quick time through the tunnel that bears their name, talk was of the match being “comfortable,” and, for a few, of their last visit to this ground, back in the days when their side was climbing through the Isthmian League, 2007/08. Sitting on top of National League South, and having already beaten three Bostik League sides in cup competitions this season- each of them higher placed than today’s opponents- they probably felt that they had little to worry about. Added to that the fact that Town’s top scorer, fourteen goal Matt Price, had managed to get himself unnecessarily suspended for this tie by picking up a fifth yellow card for dissent against Haringey, Brentwood’s task looked more than difficult; a point not lost on home manager Craig Shipman, who when asked about his side’s prospects earlier this week by a local paper joked that he was “praying.” He then went on to talk about Dartford’s physicality, with good reason. Had he spoken to Burgess Hill Town manager Ian Chapman, conquered by Tony Burman’s men in the Fourth Qualifying Round of the FA Cup, he’d have received a report of a side who seemed capable of holding firm in defence whatever was thrown at them, and of a forward line- Alfie Pavey, Andy Pugh and Warren Mfula- who, if they’d taken their chances, could have increased the margin to a distance far greater than the single goal that eventually put them through. Brentwood had perhaps drawn the best side currently in the competition, and they’d have to work very hard indeed to create a positive outcome.

But enough of the doom and gloom. The form book wouldn’t have predicted that the Blues would travel to South Park and smash home seven goals. It wouldn’t have predicted that they’d travel to Bedford Town and score four. It certainly wouldn’t have had them dump higher division Needham Market on their red backsides a fortnight ago. This was a knockout competition, and so far Brentwood’s form in it had been, well, knockout!

The home supporters weren’t short of confidence despite the two divisions between the sides, however. Speaking to Liam, Owen, Joe and Paul before the game the predictions were 2-2, 1-1, 1-0 and 2-1 respectively, and although each admitted that the challenge might be rather steep, there was a belief that there was enough about their team to feel that a surprise wasn’t impossible. Liam and Paul were also clear that their League position was rather unfortunate. “We’ve been far better than some of the results might suggest, and a little unlucky,” explained Paul. “But whatever happens today, this match will bring in some money”- he gestured at the bar, crowded with away supporters- “and get us a bit of exposure. The problem with this town is that it is apathetic about it’s football club.” Liam agreed. “It isn’t like the place isn’t interested in football, it’s more that they’d rather watch Sky Sports in the pub than actually come to a match here. And we get very little local media exposure either; although it’s good to see BBC Essex here today.”

Paul reminisced about cup ties past, a victory over Reading and a hammering by Southend United, but we soon went back to the subject of local media interest, and the story wasn’t pretty. “There’s a radio station in the town, and it features West Ham United constantly, and regularly covers Billericay Town, and even has a Leyton Orient show! We don’t even know a single Leyton Orient fan! Yet we’re a stones throw away from their studio and don’t even merit a mention. It’s difficult to get more people into the ground when your own local radio station doesn’t acknowledge your existence. We’ve bought a large sign to stick by the main road to show people that we’re here, but it’s an uphill struggle.”

We’re not going to mention the name of the radio station in question. Do an internet search and you’ll soon work it out- and you might be able to tune in whilst they cover the latest goings-on at Brisbane Road- surely someone must be interested.

The teams emerged into weak winter sunshine at three minutes to three, Stock Aitken and Waterman’s greatest hits were deleted from the PA system- although sadly, not from history- and the home side were quickly on the attack. Skipper Matt Hall was busy, Andy Freeman looked dangerous down the left, and in defence Harry Gibbs and Jack Gardner combined well to set Izzy Bademosi on a run by the right corner flag, ended by a foul. The free kick was cleared, but the ball found its way to Brenden Cavalier twenty five yards out, but he wasn’t laughing like his namesake as his shot went straight into the midriff of Darts keeper Deren Ibrahim.

Dartford then applied some pressure of their own, with occasional Brentwood forays, but in truth there was little for either set of supporters to get excited about. Freeman gave full back Temi Eweka a rather torrid time on a number of occasions without quite managing to find an end product, but Darts had most of the ball.

Alfie Pavey had the best chance of the half in the twentieth minute, a header from a beautiful cross from Lyle Della-Verde needing to be pushed around the post by Anthony Page in the home goal, and later Elliot Bradbrook headed wide for the away side when he should undoubtedly have done better, but clear cut chances were few and far between. Half time arrived with the match goalless, and the away supporters grumbling about the surface, the referee and the fact that Ryan Hayes kept falling over.

He obviously had the wrong studs, as the pitch looked pretty good.

The second half started much like the first, with the side in orange keeping the ball although doing little with it, but then came a breakthrough. Freeman took advantage of a mix up between Eweka and Hayes and hared away with the ball down the left, holding off a challenge before delivering a quite lovely cross into the box. Bademosi shook off his marker and met the ball expertly, heading firmly home with Ibrahim floundering. The blues went wild, unsurprisingly, and Dartford looked rattled. “This is poor, Darts, come on,” came a shout from the main stand, and it wasn’t inaccurate. “We are Brentwood, from Brentwood,” sang the home faithful, and you couldn’t really argue with their grasp of geography.

As we approached the hour mark Dartford came close to an equaliser. Some good control and movement from Mfula saw the ball played across to Hayes at the far side of the box, and he curled in a shot that had Page beaten but bounced back off the bar before being cleared. This was Mfula’s last involvement before he was replaced by Andy Pugh. A striker for a striker, Tony Burman wasn’t panicking yet, even if some of his supporters were groaning and moaning on the touchline opposite.

Despite Darts pressure it was the home side who came closest to scoring the next goal. A break saw Hall expertly take the ball around the onrushing keeper, but his shot, well placed, was cleared off the line. If it had gone in…

Shortly afterwards another break saw Bademosi fire in a shot which Ibrahim had to get down to save, and the confidence amongst those in blue was apparent, as was the annoyance amongst those in orange, who were shouting at each other. The home supporters behind the goal began to loudly ring a bell, and a chap with a rather florid complexion at the front of the stand got up and headed towards the bar, perhaps worried that it was last orders.

The onslaught that the away fans were demanding finally started with twenty minutes to go. One corner was followed by another, a goalmouth scramble led to a shot cleared off the line, and the home goal was living a charmed life, but the ball was cleared and once more Freeman tormented Eweka, his cross being wildly cleared. Freeman then fashioned himself a chance that Ibrahim did well to divert for a corner, before Darts charged up the other end and finally got a bit of luck. A long throw in from Richard Sho-Silva was cleared back to the defender, a cross sent in, and Elliot Bradbrook got on the end of it and sent a looping header over Page’s despairing dive into the net. One-one, with a quarter of an hour to go.

With four minutes left it looked as if Brentwood would earn- at least- a well deserved draw, but there was to be a twist in the tail, and- of course- it had to be Lee Noble who provided it. Noble started his career with the Blues, and as the ball came to him twenty yards out he was in danger of being closed down, but he struck sweetly, first time, and the ball flew at speed past Page into the back of the net. It was a moment of real beauty, but it looked anything but attractive if you were wearing a blue shirt. Suddenly the bell stopped ringing, the away fans began to speak positively about their team for the first time since kick off, and the atmosphere went rather flat. It could have been worse as we went into added time, as Noble robbed Hall and charged forward before playing in Hayes, but his shot flew wide and high.

Brentwood now have to concentrate on the League and the Essex Senior Cup, and you’d have to think that on the basis of this performance that their position in it is rather false. But you’d also have to think that their home average crowd- one hundred and thirteen- in a town of fifty thousand people- was more than false, it was scandalous. This is a club full of hard working, enthusiastic people, with a team who play entertaining football, and the fact that less than half a percent of the population turn out to watch their side must be soul destroying.

Manager Craig, after the game, spoke about how gutted he was to lose- how his team deserved more. He was right. But in truth, that’s rather small beer. This club deserves better from the community that it serves. If playing against the best side in Step Two didn’t bring them out to watch, you have to wonder what will.

People of Brentwood, wake up to what’s happening right under your nose! Oh, and if you’ve got the radio on, tune to BBC Essex. At least they care!