Brentwood Town claimed their first win of 2016 to keep their survival bid in the Ryman Premier alive, after a 3-1 away victory at Mersham.
The home side took the lead early in the second half, as Antone Douglas scored from close range.
Brentwood responded with the leveller shortly after, as Lewis Knight nodded in for his first goal for the club.
‘The Blues’ then got themselves infront, as second half substitute Leon Gordon put his strike away from close range.
The visitors sealed the points in injury time, as Tom Richardson slotted in to give Brentwood their first win since November.
Mike Flanagan names an unchanged starting 11 that gained a 1-1 home draw against Burgess Hill Town last weekend, with the added boost of Leon Gordon as he returned from injury to make the bench.
Brentwood had the first meaningful shot of the match 22 minutes in, after good work from Andrew Freeman in a tight situation out wide – he then lifted a deep ball into the box for Robbie Rees’ shot on the volley to be held by Josh Smith.
‘The Blues’ had another chance from a set piece this time, as Mitch Hahn’s corner was whipped in for Captain Martyn Stokes to head just wide, as it clipped the post.
Mersham showed their attacking threat, as Captain Fabio Saraiva slotted it into Tom Kavanagh whose snap shot was straight at Ollie Bowles.
In the second half, the home side took the lead 58 minutes in as Saraiva’s in swinging free-kick was not cleared from Brentwood and was tucked in by Douglas at the far post.
Brentwood responded with a set piece of their own, as Hahn’s free-kick was whipped in goalwards and diverted by Knight to evade the keeper Smith to equalise.
‘The Blues’ went on to take the lead shortly after, as Richardson wriggled into the box and managed to find Rees who flicked it to substitute Gordon coming in from the right to fire in.
The away side almost extended their advantage, as Richardson again caused havoc out wide and played in Freeman on the overlap to find Rees whose shot went narrowly wide.
Mersham nearly scored with a couples of minutes remaining of normal time, as Savaiva’s whipped in ball was headed just wide by substitute Ellis Brown.
Brentwood then secured the three points on the stroke of 90 minutes, from a long ball by Bowles which was flicked on to put in Richardson who coolly finish from a tight angle to push the away side up 21st.
Mersham Lineup: 1 Josh Smith, 2 Michael Abnett, 3 Issac Nehemie, 4 Antone Douglas, 5 Tutu Henriques, 6 Kershanly Samuels (80), 7 Aaron Hopkinson (62), 8 Tom Kavanagh, 9 Callum Willock, 10 Fabio Saraiva ©, 11 Aaron Rhule (62)
Substitutes: 12 Charlie Penny (62), 14 Ellis Brown (62), 15 Simon Cooper, 16 Landre Azeez (80), 17 Yannick Makiese
Brentwood Town Lineup: 1 Ollie Bowles, 2 Martyn Stokes ©, 3 Louis Baucutt, 4 Connor Witherspoon, 5 Ryan O’Rawe, 5, 6 Lewis Knight, 7 Shad Ngandu (64), 18 Mitch Hahn, 9 Tom Richardson, 10 Robbie Rees, 11 Andy Freeman
Substitutes: 12 Petrit Elbi, 14 Leon Gordon (64), 15 Chris Manangu, 16 Bradley Nobbs, 17 Sherwin Stanley
Interview with Brentwood Town Manager Mike Flanagan:
