REGENT HIT BACK TO LEAVE MERST AT SEA

MERSTHAM let a comfortable three points slip away having dominated the game for 75 minutes.

The Moatsiders almost scored within the first 30 seconds when a Ryan Hall header was clawed away by Brightlingsea keeper Sam Cowler.

But Merstham made their early dominance count, when defender Jake Hutchings nodded home a corner in the sixth minute.

It soon became 2-0 as a superb cross-field ball by Ryan Hall picked out Alex Addai, who buried a low shot into the bottom corner.

Only a brave double save by Cowler denied Merstham a third moments later.

There was a lengthy stoppage for treatment to Cowler for a head injury and the break affected Merstham’s rhythm.

On 26 minutes, the visitors clawed a goal back from a corner, with both Matt Cripps and Aaron Condon claiming it.

With neither side seemingly able to defend set pieces, it was no surprise when, from another corner, Merstham made it 3-1 just before the break, with a flying Simon Cooper header.

The second half failed to live up to the promise of the first and the game became scrappy and increasingly tetchy, resulting in a number of yellow cards.

With 15 minutes left, Merstham looked to be cruising to victory, but a quick counter attack by the visitors from a Merstham corner set up sub Tom Richardson to pull a goal back, after good work by Rob Harvey.

Suddenly the momentum of the game changed completely and the Moatsiders found themselves hanging on.

The inevitable happened with two minutes of normal time left, when a long punt downfield and a poor header let in Richardson for his second and Regent’s third.

STAR MAN: Ryan Hall (Merstham) ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★