Saturday 13^th November
FA TROPHY 1st ROUND
BRENTWOOD TOWN 4 – 1 STAINES TOWN

Brentwood Town earned a place in the 2nd round of the FA Trophy with two goals in stoppage time in the second half sealing what in the end was a comfortable win.

Former West Ham and England legend Sir Trevor Brooking attended the match and Brentwood Town chairman Jez Dickinson presented him with a cheque for Saint Francis Hospice for whom Sir Trevor is an ambassador.

Backed by a bumper home crowd of 420, Brentwood started strongly and Tom Richardson had an early chance blocked before Connor Hogan put the Blues in front, heading home from close range following George Craddock’s corner.

The home side threatened to increase their lead when Andy Freeman created chances for Rob Harvey who shot past the far post with his first effort and saw Staines goalkeeper Joe Ringer save the second with his feet.

Noah Amissah was the main threat for the visitors and it was he who equalised in the 25^th minute, a sublime finish into the far corner of goal to make it 1-1.

Freeman and Jack Dickinson both had good chances to restore the Blues lead before half time and the chances continued to come in the second half but it was Staines who nearly grabbed a lead when Amissah hit the crossbar in the 61^st minute.

It looked as though the match could be decided on penalties, until the 75^th minute when Blues regained their lead. They forced a succession of corners and Richardson’s header finally put the Blues back in front.

When Richardson was brought down in the area he had a chance to increase the lead with a penalty kick in the 83rd minute, but his shot was too close to Ringer who saved comfortably.

With 90 minutes played, Richardson made amends by scoring the third goal from substitute Daniel Ogunleye's assist and there was still time for Harvey to burst through to score the fourth right at the death.

Brentwood Town: Bowles, Love, Gould, Hogan (Park 90), Cripps, Humphrey, Dickinson (Ogunleye 60), Craddock, Richardson, Harvey, Freeman (Gray 90).

The draw for the second round of the FA Trophy will be announced on Monday.