TWO first half goals in two minutes set Brentwood on their way to a win over Potters Bar at the Arena on Saturday.

On a heavy pitch, Brentwood played some excellent football in the first half against a team occupying one of the play-off positions in the Ryman North table.

Alex Read had a chance on the volley from an Abs Thompson cross in only the second minute but Brentwood’s top scorer did not hit the target.

Brentwood looked likely to open the scoring and the first goal came in the 20th minute when Read laid the ball into the path of Daryl Robson, who drove an unstoppable shot into the roof of the net from 16 yards.

In Brentwood’s next attack Read finished well to double the lead and Blues continued to dominate.

Potters Bar goalkeeper Yilmaz Aksoy saved bravely at the feet of Thompson and, after a great run from the left, Steve Butterworth cut in and forced a good tip-over from Aksoy.

The visitors worked hard and had a chance to get back in the game from the penalty spot in the 36th minute but former Brentwood centre forward Danny Ailey blazed well over the bar.

Potters Bar introduced their leading scorer James Gershfield from the bench in the second half and began creating more chances.

Gary Wharton had an opportunity three minutes after the restart but his shot was comfortably held by home keeper Reece Ottley.

Wharton shot wide and Gershfield had an effort saved by Ottley before Brentwood scored their third goal to make the game safe in the 62nd minute.

It came from the penalty spot, Read converting for his 25th goal of the season after Thompson had been unnecessarily fouled in the penalty area.

But four minutes later the Scholars reduced the arrears with a well-taken goal by Ailey who found the far corner of goal after breaking into the home penalty area.

Gershfield went close on a couple of occasions as Potters Bar put some pressure on the Blues defence in the later stages but they could not deny Brentwood their third successive league victory, all of which have been against teams in the top six of the league.

Brentwood, however, remain in 13th position in Ryman North but with at least six games in hand on all the clubs above them.

Brentwood Town: Ottley, Doyle, Llewellyn, Witherspoon, Blewitt, West, Thompson (Bantick 64), Robson (Frost 75), Read, Butterworth, Seymour. Unused subs: Cohen, Stokes, Rees.