Monday 18th April
ISTHMIAN NORTH
BRENTWOOD TOWN 7 – 1 ROMFORD
Brentwood cruised to a comfortable Easter Monday win over Romford to confirm their play-off place. Blues are guaranteed at least a fourth-placed finish and the final league match of the season is on Saturday, away to Stowmarket Town, and it is very likely that the two teams will meet again in the play-off semi-final on Tuesday 26th April. If Brentwood win at Stowmarket on Saturday, they will finish third and will have home advantage while any other result will probably mean another trip to Suffolk.
Already-relegated Romford took a shock lead in the twelfth minute when Temi Babalola found the bottom corner, but Blues were level two minutes later through Ashley Nzala’a header from George Craddock’s freekick.
There was then a remarkable sequence of events with Brentwood being awarded three penalties in the space of fifteen minutes between the 24th and 38th minutes with Blues skipper and leading goal scorer Tom Richardson converting all three spot kicks to make it 4-1.
The goal of the match was scored by Craddock in the 62nd minute when he volleyed home from just inside the penalty area.
Despite suffering a cut to his head, former Brentwood keeper Rob Budd kept the score down with some good saves, but the home side added two more goals with Richardson getting his fourth of the match and his 36th of the season in the 84th minute and Rob Harvey making it seven three minutes later.
Brentwood Town: 1 Harry Girling, 2 Rob Harvey, 3 Jake Gould (George Allen 61'), 4 Jack Humphrey, 5 Matt Cripps, 6 Jai Reason (Sam Park 66'), 7 Daniel Ogunleye, 8 Connor Hogan (Josh Gray 71'), 9 Tom Richardson, 10 George Craddock, 11 Ashley Nzala
