Edgware played Brentwood Town at their Arena ground on Saturday with both clubs needing the 3 points in their league campaign's writes Paul Gregory.

Edgware started brightly with Denis Maharajan and Richard Morton having no little success in midfield. However, it was a defensive error in the 13th minute that allowed Brentwood’s Joao Carlos through the centre to latch onto a long pass from Lee Noble, beating Rob Blackburne in the visitors goal to put the home side ahead.

Undeterred, the Wares raised their game and the midfield battle became hotly contested, however, it was not going to be Edgware’s day and in the 34th minute, a scuffle broke out, just outside the Wares area, between Brentwood’s Captain Danny Dafter and Edgware centre back Ben Hayden, Hayden was judged to have  head butted Dafter and the referee had no alternative but to issue a straight red card reducing the Wares to ten men, who now faced a free kick just outside the area.

Brentwood took the kick early and it skimmed wide of Blackburne's goal but the referee had not blown up for the kick, so he gave the home side a second chance and this time Carlos saw his effort deflected into left hand corner of the net to double his teams lead.

Edgware hit back and Blues keeper Marc Palmer did well to turn Maharajan's effort around the post in the 37th minute and just before half time Adam Wallace hit the post when through on goal.

Against the wind and down to 10 men, Edgware decided on damage limitation in the second half, with defenders Moore and Ingham brought on, and they performed better and with more freedom the Wares came closest to scoring when Wallace got through only to be denied by a good save from the Palmer.

It was only in the final 10 minutes that Brentwood's extra man advantage began to show, but the visitors defended well to ensure there was no further score. Not a good day at the office but only the fifth game lost this season and we live to fight another day.

We play Great Wakering Rovers at the White Lion next Saturday and we must take the positives from the game rather than dwell on the negatives. The lads were obviously disappointed with the performance and are lacking a little bit in confidence. It’s up to us, the supporters, to rally round and help give them a lift.

Edgware: R Blackburne, Brady (Taylor), Valenti (F Moore), Hayden, Smith, Rispoli, Marks, Morton, Maharjan, Wallace, Chakaodza (Ingham). Other subs: Ngoyi, Killick.