Brightlingsea Regent 3 Witham Town 1

Football restated on Saturday with a friendly encounter with old rivals Witham Town who turned up in a very smart yellow kit.

Regent were full of new faces and new haircuts and, without a teamsheet, working out the line up was something of a lottery. A stream of more familiar faces headed for the substitutes bench so it looked like the newer boys were going to show how it was done in the first half and the older faces would have to show if they could do as well in the second.

The starting line up looked to be Charlie Turner in goal; Smith-Walter, Bennett, Boyland and Fraser-Robinson at the back; Gilbert, Durling and McDonald in midfield and Max Booth, Jake Clowsley and Tom Blackwell up front.

Right from the kick off Regent showed a different approach to the game from the start of the season with a fast moving, high tempo game in which they relied on pace to play the ball through the Witham defence. It was non-stop action in one direction and Witham were penned back into their own half as Regent ran at them, passed through them and created a series of sharp chances which the Witham goalkeeper did well to keep out.

New boy Tom Blackwell caught the eye with his running and close control. Eventually Regent won a free kick on their left which Blackwell curled towards the top corner of the net. The frame of the goal stood firm against the full impact of the 13½ stone goalkeeper as he palmed the ball to safety.

Regent’s second corner of the game broke the deadlock when Charlie Durling’s low header was handled by a defender and Jake Clowsley continued his master class in penalty taking to put Regent ahead.

In spite of being totally dominant Regent were unable to add to their lead before half time.

An almost entirely new line up started the second half. On came Osei-Asomah, Kyelan Marvell and Joe Heron in defence, Barnett, Crisell and Bastone in midfield, with Khris Oti and Lewis Byrne-Hewitt joining the irrepressible Tom Blackwell up front.

Nothing changed in the overall approach and Regent continued to dominate through pace and tempo with Osei-Asomah and Byrne-Hewitt running at the Witham defence on the right and Blackwell doing the same on the left.

The defence was less assured with Marvell having to play out of position as a makeshift centre back but still, all the action was at the other end and first Oti and then Crisell converted chances from close in to put Regent three up after 78 minutes. As in the first half it could have been more with a fierce shot by Oti going just wide and the Witham defence proving resolute.

At three-nil up Regent started to feel secure and Witham found more openings. Eventually they got a consolation goal but not before they had created and missed two openings which our regular League opponents would have been expected to put away.

It was an entertaining match to watch and all too soon the referee brought it to a close.

Regent will have another opportunity on Tuesday night, away at Heybridge Swifts, and in a future friendly encounter against local rivals AFC Sudbury.

Match Verdict

This was a different class of display from a new look Regent side which promises much if and when the league season re-starts, which won’t be before the New Year. It was primarily offensive and featured pace, directness and close control which has been lacking since the departure of old favourites two seasons ago.

By Paul Ketchley