The newly crowned Ryman North champions travelled the short distance to Spa Road for this Good Friday evening fixture.There is always something special about evening fixtures and the bumper crowd of 402 clearly agreed. There was still a long queue outside the turnstiles as the game kicked off with the Regent fans in good voice and keen to see what reaction they would get from their heroes who had won the league with three games still to play.

If anyone was expecting James Webster's men to take their foot off the gas this was to be a fine example of how wrong they would be. Brightlingsea have been amazingly consistent this season testament to how strong a group Webster now has at his disposal and with one hundred points beckoning they clearly wanted to keep that winning feeling. The R’s manager did take the opportunity to rest a few players notably Phil Kelly, Josh Gould and Pip Boyland although the latter did come on as a late substitute.

There was very little to separate the two sides in a first half that saw glimpses of the kind of football that has seen Regent take the title looking to work the ball quickly before getting Condon or Richardson in behind. Witham were working hard to stifle the R’s game and managed to create one or two openings of their own but poor finishing and some resolute Brightlingsea defending saw them frustrated.

The second half was to be a totally different story as the visitors found another gear and some clinical finishing to secure another three points. An amazing five minute spell saw the R’s score three times the first of which was a fantastic long range effort from Billy Hunt lobbing the Witham keeper from distance.The second saw Tom Richardson swoop to head in an Aaron Condon cross. Condon himself notched the third when he left keeper Reece Paine with no chance as his free kick flew into the Witham net. With half an hour still to play more goals were on the cards as the champions poured forward and more goals came as Condon got his second and Regent's fourth before substitute George Doyle made it five on ninety minutes following another cross by Condon.

As the Brightlingsea players celebrated with their large travelling support it is clear that no one at North Road has lost that winning feeling...We love that winning feeling da dum da dum da dum sorry so much singing at certain clubs thought I’d join in.

Report By Gavin Aplin