Brentwood Town 5-0 Thurrock

Ryman One North play-off final

From the Brentwood Arena

 

A CATASTROPHIC 20 minute spell saw Thurrock crushed 5-0 in the Ryman One North play-off final against Brentwood.

A four-goal salvo, including a hat-trick for Alex Akrofi, saw Town run away with the game in the early stages of the second-half, a period that also saw Fleet defender Aaron Waters sent off.

It means another season of Ryman One North football for Mark Stimson's men.

Fleet were looking to end their two-year spell in the division, having been relegated in 2013 after they were deducted points for fielding an ineligible player.

Town meanwhile were looking to break into the Ryman Premier League for the first time.

Fleet boss Stimson was forced into a reshuffle after striker Charlie Stimson was sent off in Wednesday's 4-3 win at Harlow Town, with Jordan Clark coming into the team.

Rob Clark was replaced by Steve Carvell but aside from that it was an unchanged side.

And it was a slow start to the game, with the first half chance of the match taking 20 minutes to come.

Robbie Rees burst forward, jumping a couple of challenges before teeing up 17-goal Sam Bantick. But his shot was powered narrowly wide of Rhys Madden's near post.

Akrofi shot into the side-netting for Town, with Bantick coming close twice as the home side began to assert their authority on the game.

But the best chance of the half fell to the visitors.

Joe Christou went racing down the right and his low cross was picked up by captain Lewwis Spence but he couldn't keep his shot down under pressure.

It was goalless at the break but five minutes after the break the game changed.

A slip by Waters allowed Akrofi to pick up the ball and storm through. Out came Madden but the forward's fierce strike rocketed past him into the net.

Akrofi was a man possessed, and Waters couldn't deal with his pace.

Three minutes later it was 2-0, with Akrofi scampering after a clearance, nicking the ball of Waters and scoring after Madden had blocked his initial effort.

Thurrock looked to hit back, with Jordan Clark steaming through only to go down under the challenge of goalkeeper Ollie Bowles.

But as Fleet screamed for a penalty, the referee pulled out a yellow card and cautioned the striker for diving.

Not content, Akrofi soon had his hat-trick. A tangle in the penalty area with Waters saw the forward pick up the ball himself and score.

Waters miserable afternoon was compounded as he was red-carded for the incident.

And with only 20 minutes of the second half played it was 4-0. A driving run from Rees ended with a curling effort from 20 yards that left Madden with no chance.

The game all but won, Brentwood eased off. Stimson's men continued to press, with Wall twice denied by Bowles and substitute Brad Warner shooting straight at the stopper.

But Town could have extended their lead only for Bantick to shoot wide when well placed.

Sherwin Stanley came off he bench to grab a fifth goal, scuffing his shot underneath the goalkeeper as he burst through.

Rob Clark saw a late free-kick superbly saved by Bowles but it wasn't to be Thurrock's day.

 

Brentwood: Bowles, Gardner, Freeman, Stokes, O'Rawe, Love, Bantick, Dafter, Akrofi (Baucutt), Richardson (Dobbs), Rees (Stanley)

Thurrock: R Madden, G Madden, L Clark, Waters, Sutton, Goode, Carvell (Warner), Spence, Christou, Wall, J Clark (R Clark)