A bitterly cold and rainy day meant the winter season was here and with the change in weather came a change in Redbridge with a determined side coming out on top in their first home league win of the season.

The game was a milestone for midfielder Gerry Skerritt making his and he couldn’t 100th appearance for the club and the midfielder couldn’t have asked for a better way to celebrate it.

Neither side took control at the start of the game, but in the first 15 minutes it could have been a goal apiece. First it was Cheshunt who broke through the Redbridge defence where it dropped to left winger Tony Burke on the edge of the 18 yard box but dragged his shot wide. Redbridge then produced an almost identical opportunity when Jacob Cleaver was clear through but like his counterpart dragged just wide.

The next 20 minutes after that was a frustrating time for Redbridge fans as striker Daniel Jones strayed offside on more than one occasion and as Redbridge were getting on top of the game they hadn’t got anything to show for it.

They say perseverance pays off but Redbridge wouldn’t have expected to take the lead the way they did. A corner for Redbridge on the 33rd minute taken by Joe Bricknell was a dangerous one but it didn’t meet the head of a Redbridge player, instead Cheshunt’s goalkeeper, Glenn Williamson, got his fists to it and it somehow flicked off his hands into the back of the net. A bizarre own goal but on the run of play Redbridge had deserved to take the lead.

That goal kicked some life into Cheshunt and ended the half the strongest with the pick of their chances coming from an unlikely source.

Left back Michael Deane found himself with space about 45 yards out and only he knows if he meant it but what looked like a cross ended up being a fine shot testing the retreating Stevenage loanee, Matthew Gill, only for it to hit the crossbar and bring the half to an end.

The second half continued the same sequence as the first as both sides struggled to gain control of the game and it turned into a game of route one football. The next goal was vital and both defences didn’t want to concede so the nerves were starting to take over with mistakes creeping in.

The game could have turned on its head in the 52nd minute when a Cheshunt corner whipped in by Jason Mason was met by a Cheshunt player and it looked to be heading in only to be blocked on the line, but all the Cheshunt players and coaching staff were shouting for a penalty as they believed it was blocked with a hand but the referee was having none of it and waved play on.

The home sides hard work at the back paid dividends by the 70th minute when one of the many long lofted through balls found its way through to Glen O’Hanlon but he first had to beat Glenn Williamson who had come rushing out to beat O’Hanlon to the ball, but the Redbridge man won the race and duly finished into an open net to make it 2-0.

The last 20 minutes were full of both sides changing the side around to deal with the high intensity game but with very different aims. Redbridge needed fresh legs to deal with Cheshunt’s growing pressure and the away side were aiming to put fresh legs upfront.

With time ticking by, Redbridge were starting to panic and maybe the thought of their first home win was starting to trickle into the players’ minds and distracting them as Cheshunt started to really trouble the Redbridge 18-yard box but youngster

Matthew Gill was proving his worth on his debut but to his disappointment in the dying minutes a Cheshunt corner was headed in by Danny Gudgeon and made the final minutes very nervous.

But fortunately for Redbridge the players were able to hold on and grab a very hard fought win and go into Tuesday’s home cup game against local rivals Romford on a high, especially as their other league win came against their cup opponents earlier on in the season.

By Stuart Ballard – @stuartballard

Click here for Del Robinson's post-match interview with Josh Harris.