Despite going in ahead at the break Cray Valley PM had no answer to Isthmian League Premier Division leaders Brentwood Town in the second period and fell to defeat.
After the visitors had started brightly, Steve McKimm’s side took control and probably deserved their lead at the break. However, with the slope in their favour for the second half, Brentwood showed why they are flying high at the top of the table with a commanding performance.
Max Hudson almost gave the visitors an early lead when cutting in from the left and unleashing a shot that crashed against the bar on the way over. Alejandro Machado then tried a hooked shot but it went straight up into the air before being caught by Cray goalkeeper Shaun Peart-Rowley.
Buenas Vaivada had a shot for the Blues deflected just wide before they were forced into making a substitution. Surprisingly, Romel Aarons Royal was able to start having suffered a head injury towards the end of their previous match, at home to Welling United, however, he only lasted twenty minutes before being replaced by Andy Freeman.
That appeared to disrupt Brentwood, and the Millers started to enjoy more of the possession and territorial advantage. Dan Ajakaiye fired well over before he screwed another effort wide.
Eleven minutes before half time, the hosts went ahead. Kenny Aileru eased in from the left wing before letting fly with a shot that gave Melvin Minter no chance as it whistled inside the far post.
Hudson squandered a chance to equalise from a direct free kick and the Millers went in at the break in good spirits despite picking up a couple of needless yellow cards in the closing moments.
Immediately after the break, Hudson’s low shot was pushed round the post by Peart-Rowley before Brentwood again clattered the woodwork when Jonathan Nzengo cut in and hit the bar with a twenty yard effort.
Keith Rowland, the visitors’ manager, was just about to make a substitution when his side drew level. Vaivada found Daniel Ogunleye and he broke a tackle before surging through and crashing his shot home.
Aileru came close to putting the hosts back ahead when again working his way in from the left and shooting but Minter made an excellent save when pushing it out for a corner.
Machado had another opportunity for the visitors but couldn’t find the power to bother Peart-Rowley, however, they didn’t have much longer to wait before going ahead. Hudson crossed low and Ogunleye finished at the far post.
Substitute Kymani Thomas had a shot bundled round the post by Peart-Rowley then Marvel Ekpiteta made a stunning goal-line clearance at the end of a goalmouth scramble. Adeyinka Cole waltzed his way through the Millers’ defence but shot with the outside of his boot and it went well wide before another Machado effort took a deflection, hit Peart-Rowley, and flew over.
Funmi Shomotun might have made Brentwood pay for the missed chances when breaking through only to fire well wide of the near post and the visitors made sure of the win when adding a third in the second minute of stoppage time. A quick counter-attack ended with Thomas finding Nzengo who finished at the far post.
Defeat for the Millers meant that they finished the evening outside the bottom four on goal difference ahead of Wingate and Finchley who have played two games fewer.
Cray Valley PM: Peart-Rowley; Williams, Bowry, Ekpiteta, Kpakpe; Ajakaiye, Black, Adebiyi (Holness 65), Aileru (Shomotun 79); Vigor (Cumberbatch 65); Akanbi (Barrington 65).
Sub not used: Waldren.
Goalscorer: Aileru (34)
Yellow cards: Kpakpe (43 delay of restart), Vigor (45+2 delay of restart)
Brentwood Town: Minter: Nzengo, Pollock, Royal (Freeman 19), Hudson; Cole; Edwards, Machado, Vaivada (Thomas 58); Ogunleye; Hughes.
Subs not used: Reid, Park, Hubbard.
Goalscorers: Ogunleye (55) (71), Nzengo (90+2)
Yellow cards: Edwards (62 foul), Hughes (73 delay of restart)
Referee: Marcin Indyk
Assistants: Marian Stoichitolu and William Rough
Attendance: 245
Pictures supplied by Lianne Brown.