IF you watch the interview with Boss John Coventry, you can see how proud he is of this performance. If you saw this performance you would see that, even though it is only September, there is something special about this Rocks team that could, just could, see this as a special season.
The Rocks edged past Brentwood at the top of the Ryman One North table with a thoroughly deserved victory on Tuesday, built on hard work and embroidered with some clinical finishing.
Visiting manager John Coventry named an unchanged side for the fifth successive game against the league leaders and saw his team take the lead in the first minute. The goal embodied the night – it was fashioned after hard work and a great tackle by Steve Harrison put Neil Richmond in possession and he held the ball, sucking in defenders before slipping an inch perfect pass to Kris Newby who met the ball in his stride and drilled a low shot past Andy Hall.
It was one of the few chances in a hard fought half in which Brentwood channelled their efforts with long balls down the middle, while East Thurrock preferred a wider option.
It made for an interesting game with Brentwood growing in stature as it progressed and fashioning their own gilt-edged chance on 18 minutes when a strike at goal from Ellis Remy clipped off keeper Richard Wray and over the bar.
Not for the first time in an evening of high-paced football the officials got it wrong and Brentwood were furious they didn’t get a corner – and I suspect more angry that Remy didn’t plant the ball in the net.
They were to come even closer to an equaliser on 36 minutes when a corner was only cleared to the edge of the box and returned with some conviction by Dee Okojie who was extremely unlucky to see his low drive avoid a melee of legs and thump back off the upright with Wray well beaten.
And the Brentwood mood wasn’t helped a minute before the break when another rasping shot, this time from Joao Carlos, looked goalbound until Wray twisted in the air and pushed it over the bar.
The second half started much as the first did – a brief midfield scuffle and then an East Thurrock goal. This time it came from a corner three minutes into the half, which was helped back into the mixer by Harrison and the predatory Richmond pounced for his fifth goal of the season, stretching a leg to prod the ball over the line.
Rocks, who had to replace the injured Newby with Conor Mead, thought they had a third just three minutes later when Max Cornhill rose to head home, but Mr Goddard ruled an infringement had occurred.
A couple of minutes later the official found himself rolling on the floor as he took a tumble when trying to sort out a melee of players following a tackle by Harrison – who was the only one booked once the three officials had consulted.
At this point East Thurrock were well in control and might have added to their lead had Mead been less selfish when a great run by Ruel split the home defence. With Cornhill screaming for the ball to be laid into his path, the young sub went for glory himself and though the opportunity certainly beckoned, he couldn’t knock it in.
Brentwood began to show their mettle and a stunning run by Carlos left three East Thurrock defenders in his wake but he also outpaced his teammates who were nowhere near in position when a great cross came in and the chance was lost.
The game was put beyond the hosts on 70 minutes when Ruel improvised a chance for himself with a neat flick. Though his first shot lacked venom, it was knocked back into his path by the covering sub Ben Lewis and at the second time of asking he calmly side-footed the ball into the net.
That should have been it, but credit Brentwood for not rolling over. They battled back hard and were rewarded when Remy climbed highest to head home just a couple of minutes later.
That prompted something of a siege mentality from Rocks, who concentrated on getting men behind the ball and defending as if their lives depended on it. Several chances came and went, largely snuffed out by a desperate tackle or a lunging block as the visitors showed they were in no mood to let the spoils go and they held out for a really accomplished victory.
There were many heroes in the visiting line-up and no duds anywhere. Harrison was an ever present throughout the night, exemplified by the tackle that set up the first goal and one that blocked an attack deep in second half added time. Ruel was an ever willing challenger for the ball and Richmond a collossus up front. His slight frame belies his strength and his guile seems his find space where there appears to be none and he seems set fair to follow in the mantle of recent Rocks centre forwards who have blazed high-scoring trails.
But it seems churlish to identify individuals on what was a great team effort, leaving Rocks as the only unbeaten team in the division and looking likely contenders again for a promotion play-off spot at least – though with the new steel that appears in their make-up, they may just harbour real hope of filling top spot at the end of season that they proudly hold in the early days of September.
For their part, Brentwood will surely come again. They possess pace and strength in abundance and with a little first half luck might certainly have got something from this game. With a decent strength in depth it will be no surprise at all if they too aren’t in the shake-up at the end of the season.
