BRENTWOOD chairman Paul Webb believes his side were some 20 or 30 runs short of a winning total as they fell to an opening day loss at South Woodford.
Brentwood really struggled with the bat, with only James Redwood (22), ever looking like getting in.
Harry Shirt (3-16) was the chief destroyer.
"It's generally a low scoring wicket there and is never the best early season," Webb said. "We didn't bat very well, but 108, I think, was probably only 30 or 40 short. We might well have been able to defend it. But when you're used to indoor nets and the ball fizzing through and you get on a stodgy wicket, it's never that easy."
In reply, Joe Buttleman took three wickets as Brentwood held up South Woodford for a while, but they edged to the target with three wickets to spare.
Brentwood also had several notable absentees at the weekend, that did not help matters.
Skipper Jon Walford is on honeymoon, while bowlers Tom Moore and Anthony Giles were also unavailable, along with batsman Gareth Jakes.
"Our expectations are very high this season," Webb said. "But I wouldn't say it was a setback and I wouldn't read too much into it.
"We had Jonathan missing and two of our main strike bowlers.
"I wouldn't say we were down to our bare bones, but we've potentially got four players coming back into the team in the next week. Four out of 11 will make a difference."
And Webb is confident Brentwood will bounce back this weekend at home to Wanstead & Snaresbrook and more significantly, be battling at the top of the table come the end of the season.
"We are going into the season really expecting to do very well," Webb said. "As I said, this defeat wasn't really that much of a setback, but at the same time it was disappointing not to get off to a winning start. We want to be challenging up the top of the league. I wouldn't say we expect to win the title, but we should be right up there."
