Back in November, The Bridge lost 2-0 at Lower Road against a Basildon side that were reeling from off-field troubles but were decent on the day and took home the three points. This was a revenge of sorts as this time, The Bridge were victorious and took the three points back to Hullbridge to add to their ever-increasing tally as they made it five games unbeaten.

Football, although some may try to complicate it, is a relatively simple game. Put good players on the park, and you are likely to win matches. Give them a formation they understand, and you increase the chances of success. Add to that, leaders, either vocal or by example or even better, both, and you have yourself a good team. The key to all that is somebody to put all the elements together. Enter our management duo, Marc and Liam, who have done this and continue to do it, and The Bridge are reaping the benefits. Long may it continue, and at Basildon on Saturday it did.

Despite the rain that just won’t go away, the Basildon pitch looked in good nick, and the two teams went about using it, although very little happened for the first few minutes of the match. That soon changed, though, as after eight minutes, Harry Baker played a ball down the line inside Ollie Jenkins and ex-Bridge man Nik Zlatev took it on and slid the ball past Michael Bett to give the home side the lead. Nik didn’t get too many chances at The Bridge, but has since proved he knows how to finish with a decent tally for The Bees so far this season.

Test number one for the new look Bridge. What would be the response? No need to worry, though, as just two minutes later, the score was level as The Bridge showed their newfound resiliency again.

Ellis Devereux hunted down the ball as he often does and slipped a pass to new signing Kojo Apenteng. What, we wondered, would the new man do? Only turn and smash it into the corner, giving keeper Joshua Barrett no chance. Hopefully, the shape of things to come and honours even, 1-1. More of the same, please, Kojo!

The first half of this game was fairly even, and both sides traded crosses as they tried to get the second goal, with The Bridge creating more efforts on and off target than the hosts. They also led the corner count by two to nil in this half and probably had the best chances to add to their tally, although it finished 1-1 at half-time.

Leo Clark had a couple of chances that went high or wide or both, and Apenteng had a shot on target but couldn’t find the power to beat keeper Barrett. Charlie Campling nearly got on the end of a cross from the right, but couldn’t quite connect and with the scoreboard not troubled further, it was all to play for in the second forty-five.

The second forty-five started with a Billy Willis cross caught by keeper Barrett and a Bas corner headed away by the ever-reliable Captain Phillips, and then Jack Mochalski headed Alfie Osborne’s cross to safety.

George Briton-Watkins replaced Billy Willis and was soon in the action
when Troy Osei-Bobie slipped a ball to Kojo Apenteng, who found George out wide, and his cross found the unmarked Ellis Devereux in front of goal. Ellis wasn't going to pass up this opportunity and slotted home for a 2-1 Bridge lead.

There were a number of substitutes in the following minutes, followed by a couple of Bridge corners dealt with by the Bas defence. One of those substitutions was the impressive Emmanuel Sharna, and the 18-year-old was soon on the ball and shooting wide from inside The Bridge 18-yard box. The Bridge were still creating chances too, and Kelson McFarlane’s cross went wide before Jack Mochalski’s free kick was cleared away for a corner. The corner was headed over the bar by Ellis Devereux and would have sealed the points, but Bas were still alive, but only just!

The Bees then had a spell of pressure without troubling the visitors too much until an 80th-minute free kick was well saved by Michael Bett with the following corner fired over the bar. The Bridge nearly found the third goal when George Briton-Watkins passed to Ellis Devereux, and his shot was going in, but was cleared off the line, and Oscar Jones (I think, hard to see in the sunshine, yes sunshine!) fired against the bar and then Kelson McFarlane picked it up and his cross was sliced wide for a corner by a Bas defender.

It was close to three, and then it was even closer! Kelson’s corner was simply headed in by Ellis Devereux, who just got to the ball first and scored! The remainder of the match was ‘managed’ by The Bridge as The Bees got a bit annoyed, and there was a flurry of yellow cards, including a second one that resulted in a red for Jack Mochalski for a foul on the tricky Sharna.

Now into injury time, McFarlane had a shot saved, and Sharna’s cross went behind, and the whistle went with The Bridge victorious and moving up three places in the table...oh! It just gets better and better!

An excellent debut for Jaiden, who got forward and back and covered so much ground while holding his position well. A promising start to his Bridge career, and it’s got to be good to start with a debut and a MOM award. Welcome to The Bridge, Jaiden!