It was a bittersweet result for the Motormen as with Ilford beating Potters Bar Town, the result meant that Rovers player-managed by one of Redbridge’s FA Cup heroes Trenkel slipped to 5 points behind the Foxes with four games left to remain in the bottom two along with Ware.

Trenkel as expected was in Wakering’s starting line-up and the visitors but for alert goalkeeping from Joe Wright would have gone ahead after two minutes when Ashley Hawkins forced the youngster into a fine save from a tight angle.

Redbridge broke clear and after 20 seconds after Wright’s save good work by Robinson and his strike partner Ryan Murray culminated with Joe Gardner seeing a goal-bound effort blocked by Wakering’s captain Lewis Sparrow inside the six-yard box.

It was all Redbridge now and a long-throw by Billy Sendall wasn’t dealt properly by Wakering with Matt Turpin doing well to knock the ball down for Ryan Murray whose effort was hacked off the line with Glen Golby firing the rebound narrowly wide.

Gardner was looking lively against his former club and a great run from the imaginative and hard-working attacker split Wakering in part with his cross finding Robinson inside the area with the striker narrowly shooting the ball wide of the far post.

On 30 minutes Redbridge finally took the lead when Joe Gardner latched onto Joe Bricknell’s past 30 yards from goal running past two players before firing in a spectacular shot in off both posts from 25 yards for his 12th goal of the season.

Wakering were dealt a blow shortly after as ex-Redbridge defender Nathan Fletcher was forced off with an ankle injury going down nastily after a strong aerial challenge from Murray. Nick Skelton another ex-Motormen came on as the centre-back’s replacement.

Three minutes before the break Redbridge were awarded a penalty when the ball struck a Wakering hand in a crowded penalty area from a Michael Toner corner. The midfielder took the penalty but Louis Godwin-Green dived to his left with a great save.

After the break Redbridge came out looking to make up for Toner’s penalty-miss. Gardner almost picked out Robinson at the far-post with a cross from the right before Godwin-Green bravely denied Murray inside the area taking a knock for his troubles.

Three minutes after the hour-mark Wakering took their chance after weathering the storm equalising when Jay Nash fired home from close-range after picked out by Max Drury’s cross with Wright being helpless in goal as it looked as if the visitors would perhaps

It was a shock to Spillane’s side but to their credit they bounced back and retook the lead 10 minutes later. Good work by Bricknell and Sendall down the right enabled Daniel Hopkins to pick out Robinson inside the area who held of his marker to fire the ball home.

It was the striker’s seventh of the season, which perhaps Wakering were unlucky to concede given the fact that two close calls for fouls came in the space of 10 seconds before the ball broke for Redbridge in the build-up for the goal.

Mitchell Das, Perry Burns and Eddie Hart came on in the closing stages as the Motormen held onto the three points despite some late pressure to stay eighth in the table six points behind fifth-placed Tilbury who earned a shock win over title-favourites Leiston.

Redbridge: Joe Wright, William Sendall, Michael Toner, Matt Turpin, Glen Golby, Daniel Hopkins, Joe Gardner, Lewis Dark, Ryan Murray (Perry Burns), James Robinson (Eddie Hart), Joe Bricknell (Mitchell Das).

Click here for Adam D's interview with our manager Terry Spillane and Joe Gardner from after the game.

Click here for Adam D's interview with Great Wakering's manager Dan Trenkel -who was one of Redbridge's FA Cup Heroes earlier this season - from after the game.

Click here for Adam D's interview with Uniting Friends member Dean Foweraker and his favourite player Michael Toner from afret the game.