As the double-decker coach carrying the Brightlingsea Regent team and supporters pulled in to Imber Court home of the Met Police few would have guessed that the journey would have proved more challenging than the opposition.

It took the Regent faithful and their heroes three long hours to get to this FA Trophy First Round Qualifying encounter but only a couple of minutes to open the scoring against a Met Police team that offered very little on the day. The perfect start continued when Aaron Condon scored yet again to make it 2-0 on twenty minutes.

The R's were flying and as the visitors red and black flags flutted around the stadium the Regent fans could sense a very special performance coming together. Brightlingsea were totally in control when a rare Met Police attack resulted in a foul and a free kick on the edge of the Regent box. The ball didn't look to have been placed where the foul occurred but the referee took no action and as he blew his whistle for the kick to be taken this certainly made things easier for Charlie Collins as he fired the ball past a diving Beeson in the Regent goal to pull one back for the Police side.

Despite this setback Brightlingsea continued to play high tempo pressing football moving the ball around the fantastic playing surface and creating chance after chance. Met Police were definitely well off the pace as the team from a league below constantly took the game to them. You felt the only way the home side could get back in to this was through a huge slice of luck and on 45 minutes that's what they got. Dan Summers scuffed a speculative shot towards the Regent goal which seemed to offer little to trouble young Beeson but as the keeper went down to make the save the ball somehow went underneath his body and in to the visitors net. From nowhere Met Police were on terms and as the half ended the vibrant mood that had been so apparent among the Regent fans was now a little more subdued. The question on the terraces from the Brightlingsea fans was how would their team respond.

This Regent Team never gives up and when Phil Kelly fired home just minutes after the restart normal service was resumed with the R's totally dominating on the field and their travelling fans dominating off it. Once again the travelling fans were showing why they are amongst the very best. The songs and chants certainly seem to be getting the very best from a Brightlingsea team that is starting to make waves at this level. Met Police just couldn't live with a Regent team that really were beginning to click. Time and again
the R's swept forward and every time they did it seemed a chance was being created. Aaron Condon scored his second on 61 minutes and the Police fell apart it really was turning in to a Regent party as the visitors played with a swagger and confidence that was a pleasure to see.

Josh Gould made it five on 75 minutes after the ball fell to him during a goalmouth scramble which the harried Met defence failed to clear and when young substitute Harry McDonald made it six with a fantastic header on 88 minutes the rout was complete. Que the final whistle and wild celebrations on and off the pitch.

Everyone connected with the club deserved this day, the performance the result and the plaudits that must surely come for this young and exciting team.

Brightlingsea currently top the form table in Ryman North and on this form they will surely be looking forward to the draw for the next round on Monday.

Report By Gavin Aplin