Old Boys Come Back To Haunt Regent

Brightlingsea Regent traveled to Suffolk to face high flying Bury Town, who were currently unbeaten in the league.

The R’s were the better team in the opening exchanges and kept the ball well in possession, with Regent’s first real chance of the game coming after 11 minutes, a corner taken from the left hand side by Jake Turner wasn’t dealt with by the Bury defence and Russell Malton got a volley on goal from the edge of the box, but he was unable to keep his effort down and the ball traveled over the bar.

In the 22nd minute Brightlingsea got their just deserved and took the lead, Ricky Griggs did well going forward, playing in an unfamiliar Left back position, he centered the ball for Aaron Condon to run in and beat the Bury Town goalkeeper Neil O’Sullivan to the ball, with the ball hitting the net with a ricochet off Condon’s back. 0-1

Regent’s lead didn’t last long and just 2 minutes later Bury equalized. Bury won a corner down the right which was taken by Ryan Jolland, and Bury’s Captain Phil Weavers headed home unmarked in the box, his 3rd goal against Brightlingsea in three successive matches. 1-1

Things went from bad to worse for Brightlingsea as they found themselves behind in the 29th minute. With two Regent old boys combining, Ollie Canfer pulled wide down the left to cross towards the back post where Josh Mayhew was placed. Mayhew turned on the inside of his man towards the 6 yard box and hit a left foot shot which beat Ollie Bowles in goal at his near post. 2-1
Regent did however have the next best chance of the half and in the 36th minute, Tom Richardson received the ball on the edge of the box, showing great strength and balance to turn the Bury defender to get his shot away, but his effort was pulled just past the left hand post.

Regent went in at the break feeling a little hard done by to be behind, playing some great football in the first 25 minutes, continuing on from Tuesdays win over Leiston. HT 2-1

Bury come out to the second half fired up, and in the 52nd minute had a couple of great chances to extend their lead, when a long through ball wasn’t dealt with, Bury’s Canfer run on to find himself one on one with Ollie Bowles, but Bowles stood strong and made a good reflex save, although the ball parried out to Luke Read and his effort was cleared off the line by Matt Cripps. After a goal mouth scramble the R’s eventually cleared.

Regent made a couple of Changes with Josh and Jake Gould coming on for Kieran Baker and Adam Reakes in the 58th minute, but two minutes later Bury added a third. Remi Garrett, down on the right wing hit a low stinging strike across goal which beat everyone, with the ball ending up in the far post. 3-1

The Regent Player’s heads were dropping and Bury kept coming forward, in the 63rd minute, Jake Gould got beaten by some clever overlapping play down the right hand side, allowing Garrett to cross towards the edge of the box where Luke Read was waiting to strike but his effort clattered the crossbar.

In the 84th minute Bury completed the scoring when a pass out by Ollie Bowles was intercepted and left him stranded on the edge of the box, Jolland with an open goal showed composure to lob over Bowles and into the empty net. FT 4-1

Regent must pick themselves up now and put right the wrongs this Tuesday as they host league new comers Bowers & Pitsea at North Road.