Celebrating a return to the Isthmian Premier Division – Bowers & Pitsea (Image: Gareth Nash)
Bowers & Pitsea returned to the Isthmian Premier Division at the first time of asking with a 3-2 penalty shootout victory over Brentwood Town.
Bowers went ahead courtesy of Chris Millar on 16 minutes before Brentwood equalised with 11 minutes left of the first half. Following a 1-1 draw in normal time, the game headed into extra-time and Olly Sotoyinbo netted the winning penalty to send Bowers back to step three.
Bowers opted to make just one change from Tuesday’s semi-final victory over Felixstowe & Walton United as Lewis Chambers dropped out in place of Millar while the Blues were unchanged from their 3-1 win at Bury Town.
KICK-OFF
An uneventful start to proceedings saw both sides cancel each other for the most part with so much at stake but Chris Millar and Jack Thompson both had strikes superbly saved by Melvin Minter on the edge of the box for the hosts.
It wasn’t long before Bowers drew first blood and it came courtesy of Millar. After the ex-Grays Athletic defender was brought down on the edge of the box, he took on the responsibility and his low, driven free-kick went in off of the post to raise the decibels considerably at the Len Salmon Stadium.
Brentwood aren’t in the final for no reason though and they drew level just after the half-hour mark. Perhaps an air of fortune as the ball found its way to Freeman from Shad Ngandu’s delivery, there was nothing fortuitous about the touch and finish.
That goal meant they had a new-found swagger about their play and Marlon Agyakwa’s delivery begged to be headed home but nobody in a blue shirt was there to do so.
HALF-TIME: BOWERS & PITSEA 1-1 BRENTWOOD TOWN
Brentwood began the second half as they had started the first and were in control against James Collins’ side. They felt they should have been awarded a spot-kick as Daniel Ogunleye nearly made an immediate impact after coming off of the bench and despite a clumsy challenge from David Hughes, no penalty was awarded.
Referee Joe Woolmer had no choice but to point to the spot moments later but for Bowers this time. Matt Price’s cross was handled in the box by Matt Crips and Ben Williamson, who netted the winning penalty in Tuesday’s penalty shootout, stepped up but failed to beat Minter who made a fine stop down to his right before it fell into the path of Benas Vaivada whose strike flew over.
Brentwood nearly went ahead for the first time in the match with a moment of individual brilliance from Agyakwa with 12 minutes remaining. After a piece of trickery to get past the Bowers defence, his curling strike narrowly evaded the target from distance.
Bowers were edging closer to the winner and nearly did so three minutes from time as Vaivada’s corner delivery fell perfectly to the head of Okonkwo and his header was tipped over by Minter.
FULL-TIME: BOWERS & PITSEA 1-1 BRENTWOOD TOWN
Brentwood passed up a golden opportunity to take the lead eight minutes into extra-time as the ball fell for Ngandu in plenty of space but he fired wide before Jonathan Nzengo saw his effort test the reflexes of Hughes.
Following a cagey second-half of extra-time of few chances, the winner had to be decided on penalties.
After the first two penalties were scored, both teams failed to convert through Tom Stephens and Millar for Brentwood and Bowers respectively.
Vaivada converted to put the hosts in pole position after Ogunleye fired wide before Samuel Jeremiah managed to slot home. Agyakwa scored but Sotoyinbo proved to be the hero with his winning spot-kick.
Bowers & Pitsea: Hughes, Okonkwo, Reeve, Williamson, Vaivada, Thompson (Sotoyinbo 51′), Straker (Cane 51′), Howard, Price, Addy (Stagg 78′)
Brentwood Town: Minter, Nzengo, Stephen, Love, Cripps, Aarons Royal, Ngandu, McKenzie, Freeman (Jeremiah 68′), Sykes (Ogunleye 59′), Agyakwa
Attendance: 1,101
