Regent Back To Winning Ways

North Road is certainly the place to be if you want drama and a game full of incident and chances. Todays encounter with Waltham Abbey was to prove no exception as the R’s left it late to secure all three points.The highs of a magnificent unbeaten run which had seen Regent climb to second in the league had been dampened of late with defeats in cup games to Harlow and Billericay Town. A loss in the league to Phoenix Sports was perhaps more disappointing and James Webster would be keen to take the best of those performances in the cup games, the spirit from the second half against Phoenix when Brightlingsea came so, so close to salvaging something when it looked like a lost cause, and producing a performance that everyone at the club knows the team are capable of over ninety minutes.

Brightlingsea started the game at a good pace and with Jake Turner and man of the match Connor Witherspoon getting plenty of the ball in midfield the home team were able to launch attacks and cause problems for the Waltham Abbey defence. With Tom Richardson and Robbie Rees giving the Abbey defenders not a moment’s peace the visitors were left trying to make the most of the few breakaways that came their way. Time and again the ball found it’s way into and around the Waltham Abbey area only for the visitors to scramble it away or for a Brightlingsea player to come agonisingly close to getting on the end of a through ball
or cross. As an Aaron Condon free kick rattled the Waltham Abbey post it only seemed a matter of time before the R’s would find the net and when Robbie Rees seemed to be brought down in the box only for the penalty appeal to be denied the home fans were left wondering how the sides were still on level terms.

Waltham Abbey received some respite when during one of their rare forays into the Brightlingsea half they were awarded a throw in out on their right hand side.There seemed to be little danger as the ball was picked up on the edge of the box from the throw. The visitors
worked possession across the Regent box and as the R’s failed to clear their lines the ball fell to the lively Billy Holland who fired the ball into the Brightlingsea net.1-0 Waltham Abbey.

The second half started with Brightlingsea again on the front foot and as the home support began to turn up the volume the team responded with an equaliser on fifty six minutes. Phil Kelly struck the ball from just outside the Waltham Abbey box towards the goal. Lewis Lockyer in the visitors net seemed to have the shot covered but as he went down to make the save he failed to get his body behind Kelly’s effort and although he got good hands on the ball was only able to push it up and into the net.1-1.

The momentum was firmly with Brightlingsea now and with the crowd in good voice North Road was rocking.James Webster’s men were clearly not going to be content with a point and with the Regent defence dealing with the few attacks the visitors could muster the R’s kept pushing forward.With one eye on the clock the Brightlingsea faithful were willing a winning goal but as the clock ran down would they be left to rue missed opportunities. With less than ten minutes to go Brightlingsea won possession in midfield and a long ball out to their right flank found Robbie Rees who kept the ball alive and as it’s played inside to Connor Witherspoon the hard running midfielder drives towards the byline. He delivers a fantastic ball across the visitors six yard box which leaves the keeper stranded at his near post. As the fans behind the goal think that another chance has gone begging with no R’s players able to get to the cross Josh Gould appears at the far post. He slides in and manages to steer the ball inside the post and into the Waltham Abbey goal. 2-1 Brightlingsea Regent.

With the home fans singing their hearts out and the referee calling time on this game James Webster and his team will see this as a massive three points after recent results. A fantastic response from his team sees the R’s still going about their business at the right end of the table and looking forward with confidence.

Report By Gavin Aplin