Chichester City end season with battling Brentwood draw

Skipper Rob Hutchings had food poisoning, so utility player Emmett Dunn moved to left back, alongside central defenders Curtis Da Costa and Ben Pashley, with Zac Jeanes on the other side, in front of keeper Kieran Magee.

Joe Moore lined up as holder in the centre of the park with Isaac Bello, Lloyd Rowlatt and Joe Clarke. Miles Obodo and Jimmy Wild began as strikers.

Olly Munt, Ethan Prichard, Lewis Rustell and Misha Djemaili were on the bench.

The hosts caught Wild offside in the opening minute. Rowlett then fouled Spaniard Alejandro Machado and Magee gathered a long ball.

The Chi midfielder was pulled down on the edge of the box and took the free kick himself before Obodo had a shot after a battle with Benas Vaivada.

The Blues won the first corner five minutes in after good work from Wyan Reid on an overlap which Wild headed away.

A lovely flick on by Rowlatt to Obodo wasn’t controlled and then the midfield maestro was fouled by Adeyinka Cole.

Jeanes fought for possession with Max Hudson and Rowlatt delivered one too deep. Keith Rowland’s team got flagged offside again and Clarke turned the ball out for a Brentwood throw before Da Costa cleared Vaivada’s cross.

Jeanes had a cross cleared without any trouble before the two Joes dealt with a counter-attack.

Wild’s header from a corner was on target but punched away by Aiden Prall and at the other end his counterpart Magee made al save to deny Charlie Edwards.

Magee saved from Hudson on 29 and Bello intervened to prevent a move instigated by the Brentwood No11 and Chi rebuilt only for Bello’s cross/shot to get blocked.

Obodo was held off by centre back Aron Pollock, then Bello diverted the ball for a Blues’ corner from which they took the lead following a free header by Machado.

Neat stuff from Wild and Obodo won City a corner which Rowlatt whipped over but Clarke failed to make a decent connection.

In the two minutes of time added on Edwards picked up the game’s only booking for a foul on Bello.

A couple of crosses were cleared by Chi as the hosts pressed seeking to double their lead and an advanced Matt Cripps was prevented by impressive work from Da Costa.

Neat stuff from Rowlatt and Clarke teed Bello up for a well-taken equaliser on 53 minutes to make it 1-1. Obodo fired wide 60 seconds later and Dunn found the net but was adjudged offside.

Wild’s mishit almost caught Prall out when the ball nicked off a Brentwood teammate before the hosts brought on Andy Freeman and Ethan Kaiser.

On 62 a Bello bomb of a throw earned City a corner which caused few problems and then the Blues regained the lead after Hughes outsmarted Magee and tucked it away.

Jesse Olukolu and Kymani Thomas came on for Brentwood. Da Costa blocked a Brentwood corner that Jeanes hooked away and Danny Ogunleye headed over.

Munt and Djemaili replaced Obodo and Rowlatt on 71. Nice play by Bello won the visitors a corner, and another on the other side, which Munt delivered.

Prall denied Bello with 12 minutes of normal time to go and a foul on Wild earned City a free kick on the edge of the area which he cracked into the wall.

A nice one-two between Jeanes and Djemiali was cleared to Moore who equalised with a brilliant strike low into the left-hand corner.

Dunn and Clarke were subbed for Prichard and Rustell. Bello had a go on 86 and at the other end Ogunleye fired wide.

Both sides missed late chances and Edwards found the net but it was chalked off for offside in the 95th minute.

Rutherford’s men finished the season in a creditable 12th place.