ISUZU FA TROPHY FIRST ROUND PROPER
BRENTWOOD TOWN 4 CRAY VALLEY (PM) 3 - 26 OCT 2024 - ATT 429
Goals: BT - Cripps 2, Nzengo 6, Olukolu 40, Aarons Royal 90+ 4
CV - Waldren 7, Parker 42, Shomotun 45 +1

The Millers suffered added time heartbreak as a game of fluctuating fortunes ended in defeat and exit from the Isuzu FA Trophy at the hands of Brentwood Town.

Guest report by Brentwood Town's Michaela Georgopoulos for the Non League Paper
A STOPPAGE-TIME stunner saw Brentwood Town into the 2nd Round. The Blues took an early lead when captain Matt Cripps headed home from Shad Ngandu’s delivery. Minutes later the Blues doubled their lead through a superb edge-of-the-box strike by Jon Nzengo. The Millers got one back a minute later as Danny Waldren’s shot sneaked past Melvin Minter. Minter then denied Tom Beere, whose curling shot was going in but for Minter’s fingertips. Jesse Olukolu made it three for the home side with a curling strike on 40 minutes but, just two minutes later, Freddie Parker got one back for the visitors with his 12th goal in all competitions this season. The visitors drew level on the stroke of half time through Fumnaya Shomotun. Olukolu nearly put the Blues ahead in the opening of the second half but his shot was inches over the bar. An inswinging free kick from Lee Noble met Mekhi McKenzie in the box but his header was wide of the left post. Then the late, sensational drama. Substitute Benas Vaivada squared the ball into the box and and Romel Aarons-Royal tapped home. Cue pandemonium. The victory equals Brentwood’s best trophy run.

Blues: Minter, Nzengo, Cripps (c), Aarons-Royal, Freeman, Agyakwa (Anderson 95), Noble (Hogan 72), Ngandu (Witherspoon 66), Olukolu (Valvada 65), McKenzie (Brown 75), Ogunleye
Cautions: Cripps

Millers: Ovenden, Williams, Oshilaja (c), Tumkaya, Asiedu, Barrington (Ademiluyi 53), Beere, Waldren (Coombes 82), Vigor (Black 62), Shomotun (Coker 82), Parker Sub not used: Sesay
Cautions: Oshilaja, Tumkaya

Referee: Gerry Heron
Assistants: Joe Alborough and Michael Corderoy

Footnote: Congratulations to Sonny Black whose appearance for the Millers as a second half substitute was his 100th for the club.