Brentwood Town progress to the fourth round of the Essex Senior Cup as they dispatched Ryman North side Brightlingsea Regent 4-1, at the Brentwood Arena.
Tom Richardson grabbed a first half brace which helped Brentwood on their way, after a goal from Charlie Portway, for a three goal advantage at the break.
The visitors got an early second half goal from a neat finish from Ricky Griggs to give Brightlingsea hope but was cancelled out by a quick-fire response from the restart from Dwade James.
Brentwood made nine changes to their lineup that lost 4-0 to Dulwich Hamlet on Saturday as the Ryman Premier side put out a youthful outfit.
Within the opening minute and a half, Ricky Griggs broke away on a counter-attack for Brightlingsea but his snap shot had to be tipped over by Martyn Guest.
Brentwood took the lead 25 minutes in, after a dangerous free-kick by Portway caused confusion in the Brightlingsea box – the ball then bounced onto the crossbar and crept in.
Richardson doubled ‘The Blues’ lead five minutes later, from a great individual run out wide and burst into the box and bend his shot into the far corner.
Brightlingsea had a chance to get a goal back, as a free-kick from Lamell Howell was drifted in for Josh Gould to meet at the far post – which Guest palmed away low to his left.
From the resulting corner, Brightlingsea should have scored as the header was heading into the far post but for a goal line header off the line by the Brentwood defender.
Brentwood then had to deal with a short period of sustained pressure from Brightlingsea but weathered the storm, as Richardson grabbed his second with an ambitious shot which was spilled by Daniel Beeson into his own goal.
In the second half, Brightlingsea got an early goal two minutes in as Griggs was played in and tucked it coolly past Guest.
Brentwood responded from the restart, as one killer ball broke the high defence and set substitute Dwade James on his way as he smartly tucked it beyond Beeson – to restore ‘The Blues’ three goal advantage.
‘The Blues’ could have extended their lead further, as Laurence Vaughan had the ball squared back to him just inside the box with the goal gapping but his shot was wide of the target.
Brightlingsea’s evening was summed up, as Jake Turner’s volley from 20 yards hit the inside of the post and rolled across the goal line and cleared from danger, as Brentwood saw out the remaining minutes to progress into the next round.
Brentwood will now go into the draw for the fourth round which will take place after the 14th of November, as they now look ahead to their big FA Cup fourth qualifying clash away to Didcot Town on Saturday.
Brentwood Town Lineup: 1 Martyn Guest ©, 2 Will Barry, 3 Ollie Bell, 4 Josh Banton, 5 John Burgess, 6 Leon Fisher, 7 Arthur Rogers, 8 Charlie Portway, 9 Tom Richardson (45), 10 Jordan Holdsworth, 11 Laurence Vaughan (77)
Substitutes: 12 Dwade James (45), 14 Charlie Burns (77), 15 Tommy Oliver, 16 Ruben Duarte, 17 Jack Suters
Brightlingsea Regent Lineup: 1 Daniel Beeson, 2 Jason Dobbs (57), 3 Jack Gould, 4 Kieron Baker, 5 Josh Gould, 6 Matt Cripps ©, 7 Luke Read, 8 Brendon Heath, 9 Ricky Griggs, 10 Jake Turner, 11 Lamell Howell
Substitutes: 12 Robbie Lee, 14 Josh Mayhew, 15 Harry Johnson, 16 George Clarke, 17 Jake Phillips (57)
Attendance: 70
