Bill Robinson reports from Woodside Park……….
After waiting two weeks for the snow to clear, Thurrock came to Woodside Park on the back of two league wins looking to make it three, but because of a few moments of lost concentration after the restart a game that they should have won ends in a defeat.
The first forty five minutes were less than exciting failing to keep the hands of the supporters warm with little to applaud.
On fourteen minutes David Knight managed to get on the end of a through ball and with defenders around him eluded their challenges before rounding the keeper, he was pushed wide an without support his only option was to shoot from an acute angle but keeper Ross Kitteridge had time to regain his feet and made a save.
Thurrock had a purple patch on thirty six minutes, it started with a long clearance by Joe Woolley which found David Knight who did well to control the ball, he laid the ball out wide for Craig Dobson on the right flank, Dobson’s cross was long but Dean Cracknell running into the box struck a fine shot that was well saved by keeper Kitteridge and out for a corner. From the corner Kenny Clark rose to head and again the keeper pushed the ball out for a corner. This time the corner was deep to the far post and found Matt Bodkin, his volley was saved for yet another corner, from this came Thurrock’s best chance finding Phil Anderson unmarked and with a free header but unfortunately his aim was just to high as the ball cleared the bar.
A frenetic start to the second period which saw the home side take the lead in the forty-eighth minute, a cross from Danny Morgan was deflect over the keeper to the far post where Reece Prestedge was waiting to head low down into the net.
The goal stunned Thurrock and this allowed Bishops to keep the dominance for the majority of the second half.
Thurrock made some tactical changes and pushed men forward looking to get back on level terms, Matt Bodkin, David Knight and Rob Swaine all had half chances but without much success.
The game flowed from end to end but without many clear cut chances being created Thurrock pushed hard towards the end but could not penetrate the Bishops defence producing some more fine save by keeper Kitteridge.
Thurrock : Joe Woolley, Craig Pope, Adam Gross, Phil Anderson, Kenny Clark, Leon Lalite, Matt Bodkin, Craig Dobson, Dean Cracknell, David Knight, Rob Swaine.
Subs: Joe Carlos, Lee Roache, Calum Crawley, Lee Flynn, Alex O’Reilly
