A goal every ten minutes as Blues run riot

By Ian Townsend

Brentwood hit Stow for nine- and it’s a perfect home night as Grays and Wroxham also win


In yesterday’s preview we stated that Brentwood Town were red hot favourites as they welcomed Stowmarket Town- but it turned out that we understated their superiority somewhat. Ninety minutes later and the Blues had hammered home nine goals without reply and recorded the biggest win of the Isthmian season so far, tied with Chertsey Town’s win over Binfield on December 30th.

The only sides to defeat the blues of late had been the top two, and even then by the narrowest of margins, so we would have been rather surprised had our bottom placed side bucked that trend. That didn’t, of course, predict what was to follow.

It took ten minutes for the opening goal to arrive to Alex Akrofi, and what we got from then onwards was something of a procession. Connor Hogan made it two six minutes later, on nineteen minutes Daniel Ogunleye made it three, and then there was a break whilst the visitors Kieran Morley saw red. If the contest wasn’t already mismatched then going down to ten men undoubtedly made things much more imbalanced, and on the half hour Jonathan Nzengo made it four.

We then went twenty six minutes without a goal before Shad Ngandu made it five, but that very much reopened the floodgates, as Mekhi McKenzie, Ogunleye (pictured with his man of the match award), Andy Freeman and Wyan Reid got numbers six, seven, eight and nine.

The Blues are up to fourth. All we can offer Stow is our sympathies, as they remain thirteen points from safety and without a single victory. It seems an awful long time since Stow were defeating the Blues- twice- last season.

Brightlingsea Regent seemed to have suddenly rediscovered their mojo after winning two in a row, but they couldn’t continue that run as they travelled to Tilbury to take on Grays Athletic. The match wasn’t a thing of beauty, but we suspect the home fans won’t care very much, as Billy Crook’s goal four minutes before the break turned out to be the only one, earning the hosts three valuable points. Athletic are sixteenth, Regent tenth, and both look safe from the need to participate in any end of season excitement.

Wroxham and New Salamis met on the Norfolk Broads- and they’ll meet again in North London on April 5th, so that will give the Salamina a quick chance at revenge. It turned out to be a comfortable three points for the Yachtsmen, who went ahead through Shaun Taylor on eighteen minutes and were then helped by a red card for the visitors Wranyel Hercules, which left Newe Salamis trying to mount a comeback with ten men for sixty five minutes. Nine minutes after half time Ryan Miles made it two, and nine minutes from time Ryan Hawkins ended the contest with a third.

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Where next?

Twelve clear as the Curfews win the battle of the top two Chertsey surely have one hand on the title, and we’ve wins for the Tanners, Vale and Westfield as the play off battle intensifies. Northwood get speedy revenge, hitting the Baggies for six.
United end the Urchins winning run- and the Hornets climb to third Hastings boost their play off hopes, Horsham do the same, Potters Bar win once more, whilst Cheshunt open up an eight point gap on the bottom four. Rocks and Hawks draw a Sussex derby.

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