Melvin is just Mint for the Blues in derby joy
GOALKEEPER Melvin Minter was the unsung hero of Brentwood Town’s 2-1 win at Heybridge Swifts that moved the club a step closer to securing a place in the end of season Isthmian League North Division play-offs,
Brentwood strengthened their hold on fourth place with their 14th win of the season thanks to George Sykes bagging a 69th minute winner against the run of play.
Brentwood made the best possible start, going into the break 1-0 ahead on the strength of Jesse Olukulo’s fierce angled drive after the Swifts defence failed to deal with captain Matt Cripps’ long punt up field in the third minute.
Olukulo was the man of the match, tormenting the Swifts defence throughout and could have added an assist to his credits midway through the first half, but Andrew Freeman was just inches away from connecting with a superb cross.
With the travelling fans in the crowd of 323 encouraging their favourites, Brentwood forced five successive corners in the final minutes of the first half.
Mekhi McKenZie fired wide from close range and Freeman could only find the side netting before the Heybridge penalty award in the five minutes added on by the match official.
The turning point in the game came two minutes into the time added on when Heybridge midfielder Lee Noble was felled by Shad Ngandu inside the box as the Swifts pressed for an equaliser.
Minter guessed that Kieran Jones was going to put his penalty to his left and turned the spot kick for a corner.
Referee Chay Hathway had given Minter plenty of protection as the Brentwood keeper had a busy afternoon dealing with the aerial challenges of former team-mate Ross Wall who played a handful of games for Brentwood last season before returning to the Swifts this season.
However, the Swifts hit back in the opening moments of the second half when Kane Munday’s corner was met by Lewis Watson who nodded the ball forward to Jack AdlingtonPile to head the equaliser.
The Swifts then pressed for a winner after a short delay because a spectator in the crowd of 323 was knocked out by a Brentwood clearance, but it was Sykes who broke the deadlock in favour of the visitors.
Swifts manager Steve Tilson said: “We let the ball bounce in the box and George Sykes scored, but outside of that they only had a couple of chances.
“At the other end, either our first touch wasn’t good enough or our end product wasn’t, so we end up losing 2-1 when it goes down to fine margins and we didn’t get the breaks.
“Brentwood are a very difficult side to play.
“They are very direct and have two big lads up top who you have to compete against.”