Regent Return To Winning Ways

Brightlingsea Regent welcomed high flying Wingate & Finchley to the Taydal on Tuesday evening, the first ever meeting between the two teams. Wingate have made a great start to the league taking 18 points from a maximum 27 and find themselves 3rd in the table.

Regent boss James Webster rang the changes from Saturday’s defeat at Dorking, with James Love replacing Ricky Griggs at Right back and Robbie Rees replacing Jake Gould at Left Back. Robbie Harvey and Joe Bedford were handed their first start in the league and Tom Richardson and Aaron Condon returned to the starting eleven.

The R’s flew out the traps and went on the attack from the off, after 8 minutes Phil Kelly was tripped on the edge of the box, from the resulting freekick Joe Bedford teed up Aaron Condon who struck over.

After 13 minutes, the lively Rob Harvey had a glorious chance. A neat diagonal pass got the youngster in behind and through on goal, but his effort was well saved by the feet of the visitors goalkeeper Shane Gore.

Regent continued to test Wingate’s resolute defence, on the half hour mark, Shane Gore was called into action again. A nice telling cross from Phil Kelly found Tom Richardson at the back post but his downward header was parried clear.

With 5 minutes of the half remaining, Phil Kelly this time beat the offside trap and hit a shot across goal, heading for the bottom corner only for Shane Gore’s fingertips to touch wide of the post. The R’s went in at Half Time wondering how they weren’t in front. HT 0-0

The second half started a little scrappy with less space in the middle of the park. Wingate looked happy to sit back and counter whilst Regent looked to break the deadlock.

After 58 minutes, Regent finally took the lead. A Joe Bedford pass allowed Tom Richardson to turn and face the Last defender, he then knocked the ball past his man, beating him for pace and stroking past Shane Gore into the corner of the net! 1-0

Ten minutes later, Robbie Rees was denied for Regent’s second, when he picked up a loose ball on the left and struck it from 30 yards, but this rattled the crossbar and went out for a goalkick.

With the clock ticking down, Wingate then began to commit men forward in a search for a leveller, a series of corners and arial attacks were dealt with fantastically by Regent’s back line. FT 1-0

A fantastic result for Brightlingsea Regent, who made it 3 concessive wins at home. The management got a massive response from Saturday from the players. With no competitive game on Saturday, the team head to Mildenhall Town for a friendly and a chance for some to get game time.

Up the R’s