BOWERS & PITSEA bounced straight back to step three football with a penalty shoot-out victory over Essex rivals Brentwood Town in the Isthmian North Division play-off final.

It was a bright start from Bowers who twice tested visiting ‘keeper Melvin Minter early on.

After ten minutes Chris Millar made a neat turn in midfield and let fly from range forcing Minter to get down and parry behind.

Two minutes later the 29-year-old was again called into action.

TQ Addy teed up Jack Thompson whose pop shot stung the palms of the Brentwood shot stopper.

However, the visitors would be unable to keep Bowers at bay for much longer, and just past the quarter hour mark the deadlock was broken.

The hosts were awarded a free kick right on the edge of the box after Jonathan Nzengo fouled Benas Vaivada.

Millar stepped up and he struck the ball under the wall and in off the woodwork to hand Bowers a deserved early lead.

Bowers continued to dominate play whilst struggling to carve out any real opportunities and they were made to pay for this with Brentwood levelling the scores after half an hour.

A Shad Ngandu free kick picked out Matt Cripps in space at the near post and the Brentwood skipper’s turn and shot nestled into the far corner.

Keith Rowland’s side then went close to scoring another two minutes when a towering Mekhi McKenzie header was spilled by David Hughes but the Bowers ‘keeper recovered to gather the loose ball.

Just past the hour mark a long ball forward from Minter was flicked on by McKenzie to Daniel Ogunleye who beat Hughes to the ball but saw his stabbed attempt blocked into the side netting, and from the resulting Tom Stephen corner McKenzie headed just over.

It looked as though Brentwood could be left to rue these missed opportunities as a minute later Bowers were awarded a penalty.

A long ball into the box was latched onto by former Brentwood man Matt Price and his cross from the right foot was handled by Cripps causing Joe Woolmer to point to the spot.

The experienced Ben Williamson stepped up but was denied of a 15th goal of the season by his former Concord Rangers team-mate Minter who got down well to parry away and Vaivada blazed the rebound out of the stadium.

As the end of the 90 minutes neared both sides began to ramp up the pressure with Minter and Hughes having to make impressive saves to keep the scores level.

Firstly a deep Vaivada corner was met Olly Sotoyinbo and the substitute’s looping header had to be tipped over by Minter.

Then two minutes into injury time it was Hughes’ turn to make a vital save with the Bowers ‘keeper having a to claw away a McKenzie effort after the hosts had failed to clear a corner – sending the game to extra time.

Brentwood started on the front foot in the first half with Shad Ngandu drilling an effort narrowly wide before Nzengo went on a dancing dance into the Bowers box and seeing his shot saved comfortably down low by Hughes.

The second period was quiet with both sides beginning to tie and the game fizzled out to a penalty shootout.

It was Brentwood who blinked first in the shootout.

After both sides converted their first spot kicks, Tom Stephen saw his strike saved by Hughes.

However, Bowers were unable to take advantage of this with Millar hitting the post.

Then following this Brentwood missed once again with Daniel Ogunleye putting his penalty wide for the Blues, and Bowers capitalised on this with Vaivada sending Minter the wrong way.

Both Samuel Jeremiah and Sotoyinbo then scored meaning Marlow Agyakwa had to score to keep Brentwood’s promotion hopes alive but his penalty was saved by Hughes to secure a 3-2 shoot-out victory and an instant return to the Isthmian Premier Division for Bowers.