In the weeks leading up to the game, Terry Spillane has spoken about the team needing to find the ‘perfect 90’ in order to win games convincingly controlling them from the outset which obviously is exactly no doubt the side have been aiming to do in the build-up to a game.

Make no mistake about it, Wingate last year’s Ryman North play-off winners were on paper the favourites for this game being that they not only at home but were 5th in the Ryman Premier before yesterday’s game. To the delight of their fans, Redbridge ripped the prediction-book up putting in the kind of display that no doubt Spillane and his coaching staff will we wanting the team to repeat many times over the course of the season.

Redbridge started the game brilliantly taking the game to Wingate. But for great defending and keeping by the hosts, the Motormen could have gone ahead twice inside the opening three minutes of the game. First Jonathan Wheatstone saw a header cleared of the line from a Ben Bradbury corner won after good hold-up play by Ryan Murray with Nathan Gordon firing a shot on the turn wide barley a minute later.

Moments later Tommy Spillane saw a free-kick from a tight angle on the edge of the box tipped onto the post by Bobby Smith before Gordon saw a shot on the rebound from a tight angle go wide. Redbridge were passing the ball about brilliantly and it took Wingate 15 minutes to find their rhythm before mounting an attack on Adam Rafis in goal.

Rafis though who was at fault for Leiston’s second on Tuesday night more than made up for that mistake with a fantastic display in the first half. First he made a brilliant 1-on-1 save with Wingate’s star striker Leon Smith (who scored 3 goals against us last season in the league) inside the area before making another smart save from Dave Laird moments later.

Wingate were now looking more confident and but for some heroic defending by Glen Golby and Jonathan Wheatstone could have gone ahead through some brilliant balls into the area which were bravely cleared by Redbridge’s centre-backs. Lewis Jones then fizzed over a volley which agonisingly went over much to the annoyance of Wingate’s management team.

With half-time looming the Motormen managed to come out of the storm that was Wingate’s pressure and scored what will arguably be one of the best team-passing goals that will be scored this season – anywhere in England.

Good hustling by Lewis Dark and Dan Trenkel won the ball in midfield and spread the ball out wide to Gordon who burst past his marker and sent in a brilliant ball across the box which James Robinson coolly finished to put the Motormen 1-0 up on 39 minutes.

It was a good finish by Robinson who timed his run perfectly to score which marked a great first start for him in Redbridge colours. The striker recently signed from Witham looks a natural finisher and could be a name to watch this season.

Still though Redbridge had to thank their keeper Rafis for going into half-time with a lead as the keeper pulled off another fantastic save from Smith inside the area before doing well to get his body behind a close-range effort from Laird on Wingate’s next attack.

HT Wingate 0 Redbridge 1

The second half started perfectly for Redbridge despite them being forced into making a change with Jamie Haywood coming on for Aarun Best who had worn himself into the ground in the first half. After Rafis did well to make a save inside the opening minute of the half, Redbridge broke clear down flank and Jamie Haywood sent in a delivery into the area which was being asked to be ‘headed in.’

Robinson powerfully headed the ball goalwards but Smith got a hand to it keeping the ball out but thankfully for the Motormen Trenkel was on hand to bury the ball in from a tight angle to double Redbridge’s lead. It was the popular and hard-working midfielder’s 3rd goal of the season.

Wingate’s fans were not happy and they were unhappy moments later when Rafis tipped over a Laird shot from the edge of the box. Unfortunately for Wingate’s no.10 the officials failed to give a corner. Redbridge were now looking confident all over the park and good play in midfield presented Gordon and Trenkel with half-chances from the edge of the box, which were both narrowly fired over.

Wingate’s fans were not enjoying themselves and believed they should have had a penalty when Smith broke clear and was brought down seemingly inside the area. Referee Mark Mellor felt that the foul had been made outside of the area. Laird stepped up and struck a wayward free-kick high and over the bar.

Redbridge almost had a third after 70 minutes but Ryan Murray’s thunderbolt of a strike hit substitute Joe Gardner and deflected wide. Down the other Wingate were still pushing for a consolation strike and but for some heroic defending inside the area would’ve got it but Redbridge did enough to defend a goal-mouth scramble.

Gardner who came on for the tireless Robinson impressed in his 20 minutes of action and won a penalty all by himself six minutes from time, after getting onto a loose ball before being dragged down in the area. Redbridge’s successful penalty-taker at Cockfosters in the previous-round Bradbury stepped up to score, sending the keeper the wrong way for his third goal of the season.

Despite the officials adding on at least 3-4minutes longer than they needed to, Redbridge held out to secure a clean sheet to add a further cherry onto the top of the icing on the cake that was their performance yesterday. The Motormen are now into the hat for the FA Cup second-qualifying round and should be confident of beating anyone if they can repeat yesterday’s performance.

Redbridge: Adam Rafis, Jonathan Wheatstone, Tommy Spillane, Aarun Best (Jamie Haywood 46), Glen Golby, Dan Trenkel (Ryan Oliva 80), Ben Bradbury, Lewis Dark, Ryan Murray, James Robinson (Joe Gardner 72), Nathan Gordon.

After the game I caught up with 1st team coach Jody Brown and got his thoughts on our tremendous comeback. To hear the interview in full Click here to download the interview.