By MARTIN VOLLER

TWO missed penalties proved costly for Brentwood Town as they left Capershotts with a single point following a 3-3 draw with Waltham Abbey.

Courtney White gave Brentwood the lead going into the second half and they were awarded a penalty early on but Alex Akrofi’s spot-kick was saved.

Goals from Jason Hallett and James Peagram turned the game in the Abbotts’ favour but a quickfire brace from Akrofi restored Town’s lead.

Hallett drew Abbey level once again before Brentwood were awarded their second penalty three minutes from time, but captain Martyn Stokes blazed over from 12 yards.

The Blues have now gone 10 league games without defeat but the point saw them drop one place to fourth in Ryman League Division One North.

Brentwood made just two changes for the trip around the M25 with Christian Mbulu and Shad Ngandu replacing Jack Gardner and Danny Dafter.

Town have become accustomed to making quick starts this season and they got off to another dream start as White put Brentwood ahead inside two minutes for the second successive match.

Andrew Joslin slipped a pass through the middle of Waltham Abbey’s napping defence and the striker slotted the ball past goalkeeper James May to score his third goal in two games.

It took the hosts until the latter stages of the half to find their feet but once they did they caused Brentwood problems.

Captain Darren Williams lashed a shot against the crossbar after the Blues failed to deal with Miguel Lopez’s inswinging corner and Matt Attard headed just over from the rebound.

Brentwood held onto their advantage going into the second half and five minutes in they looked set to increase their lead when referee Tim Donnellan pointed to the spot after a foul on White.

Akrofi took charge but May saved his spot-kick and shortly after Abbey equalised.

Joe Kizzi forced a strong save from Ollie Bowles but the keeper palmed the shot into the path of Hallett who drilled the ball into the top corner in the 56th minute.

Both sides made attacking changes following the goal. Sam Bantick came on for the Blues while Abbey threw on Peagram.

And it took the latter just four minutes to net his ninth goal of the season, giving Abbotts the lead for the first time in the game with a well-taken volley from close range.

However, they were in front for just two minutes as Akrofi made amends for his penalty miss with a fine headed goal from Bantick’s cross.

And the duo combined again within two minutes to restore Brentwood’s lead as Bantick put the ball on a plate for the teenage striker to head superbly past May.

Substitute Dafter clipped the outside of the post as Brentwood looked to put the game to bed but they were unable to do so and Abbey hit back through Hallett.

The striker scored his second of he day, adjusting well to fizz a superb shot past Bowles from just inside the box.

But Paul Wickenden’s side seemed to have thrown away their hard work when they conceded another penalty three minutes from the end after Williams brought down Akrofi.

This time Stokes stepped up but the skipper blazed his spot-kick well over the bar and the teams were left to share the spoils.

The point saw Brentwood drop to fourth in the league and after the match joint-manager Adam Flanagan said: “If we turned up today we’d have been in a good place to get a victory but for me there were too many people not at the races”.

He added: “The boys have proved over the last few weeks that we are not a bad team and that it's all about working hard together and that’s got us to where we are, but it’s up to us now to stay there.”

Brentwood’s next match is a Robert Dyas League Cup tie away to Heybridge Swifts on Tuesday.

Brentwood: Bowles, Baucutt, Mbulu (Gardner 77’), Stokes, O’Rawe, Joslin, Robson (Dafter 46’), Ngandu, Stanley (Bantick 59’), White, Akrofi.

Unused subs: Rees, Lomotey.