THURROCK LADIES I 1 – 0 CROSTYX
The Ladies began this match with a team plagued by injuries! The spirit in the team was exceptional (as usual) and due to inspirational play by goalkeeper Ally Hadley (player of the match) the Ladies were galvanised into attack! Despite absorbing pressure the team kept their heads held high and eventually their efforts were rewarded with a fine team goal which was hammered home by Jo Taylor. A great start to the new year and morale is high and the team is adamant to improve upon their current lowly position in the league.
This Saturday, home to Upminster I, 12.30 pm
LADIES II 1 – 0 HAVERING
The Ladies Second II were determined to make amend for the defeat they had suffered at the hands of Havering earlier in the season. Welcoming back Sally Willett after injury was always sure to raise morale and her sterling performance resulted in the team showing outstanding resilience and flair. Havering fielded a young and fit team but was often thwarted in the middle of pitch by Karen Lucking and Katie Lawrence. The home side had a number of short corners and it was fitting that Sally Willett was the player to fire home with a blistering goal. Fine performances were had by all the team. Fay Tuffee marshalled the defence and was dominant throughout the game. Thurrock also welcomed back Carly Belcher to the club and impressed the ladies with a solid hard working performance.
Away to Southend IIs on Saturday
SOUTHEND 1 – 1 LADIES III
The Ladies managed to field a team despite six regulars not being available! This did require three players joining the team after their second team game! Lisa Simmonds, Charlotte Adnams and Debra Blaimey all proved to be invaluable throughout the game. Adnams was instrumental in most of the attacks and it was her final searching pass into the goal which resulted in Grace Millane scoring and putting the ladies into the lead. The lead should have been added to on many occasions but despite the dominance the team did not capitalise! Thurrock welcomed back Viv Thomas after a 20 year absence and her performance belied the absence – she was hardworking and creatred many attacks on the right hand side. The midfield worked tirelessly and player of match Laura Nicola was outstanding. The Ladies relaxed concentration and let in the equaliser from a short corner. The Ladies may regret this lapse as they are still very dangerously close to the bottom of the league!
This Saturday home to Basildon IV at 11 am
Mens Ists 3 v 1 Upminster
After a month off over the Christmas period Thurrock knew it was going to be a challenge to overturn Upminster and increase their lead at the top of NE14Hockey East Div 3SE. The T’s were off to a flyer after Declan Milane found the back of the net from a short corner in the early stages of the first half. The game could have gone either way at this point with both teams playing well. Fortunately Thurrock came out on top again at the end of the first half with Nick Stapleton firing the ball into the D, finding Matt Gaut’s stick and also the top corner of Upminster’s goal.
Thurrock started off strongly after the break and looked to be on top until a quick break from Upminster saw its way past the T’s keeper. With the game coming to a close Thurrock managed to put the icing on the cake thanks to captain Steve Abbott’s stick skills seeing him through the Upminster defence and hammering the ball past the keeper. Man of the match was Nick Sheard.
After a 3-1 win over Upminster, Thurrock will be hoping to keep up the winning streak and see them promoted at the end of the season.
Next game home to Crostyx II, 2 pm start this Saturday
Mens II (Saturday) xxx
CLACTON II 0 – 7 THURROCK II
The 2s had to play two games in as many days due to cancellations in December, and the rustiness showed in the first half on Saturday, against bottom of the league Clacton. Thurrock expected to be more than 1-0 up at half time, but to say that the forwards played like clowns would be an insult to the noble art of circus showmanship. The second half was a totally different story though, and despite a heroic performance by the home goalkeeper, the Tees ran out 7-0 winners, with Michael Murray bagging five, and Ashley Snell and man of the match Jeff West scoring one each.
Mens II (Sunday)
Thurrock II 4 – 2 Maldon and Little Baddow II
On sunday the IIs took on a very strong Maldon and Little Baddow in a must win game with both teams competing for second position in the league. Tees started as they had left off the previous day, scoring inside the first five minutes with an Ashley Snell pile driver inside the Maldon D from a short corner. Five minutes later, with Snell demanding a pass in a scoring position, found the net again to double the 2s lead.
Maldon didn’t give up the fight though, and with Andy Gaut on the sideline, stand in defender Ben Knowles failed to make a decisive tackle which led to an easy one on one for the visitors to pull the score back to 2-1.
The second half saw the reintroduction of Gaut in defence, and Thurrock again controlled the match from the middle of the park. With the teams level on points in the league, both sets of players were up for a battle. On the hour Maldon’s big number 3 was lucky not to get his marching orders after barging Gaut to the ground. The visitors drew level with 15 minutes left, but it was the men in the black shirts who were piling on all the pressure, even though some could barely run after the weekend’s exploits.
It looked as though the points would be shared when chance after chance for Thurrock was either saved or put wide, but the team could not be faulted for effort, summed up by a diving effort which Declan Millane couldn’t keep below the cross bar, but then the home support went crazy when the Tees grabbed the lead in the most unexpected fashion, a pea roller of a shot from Millane which the keeper let roll under his foot, mistakenly thinking that the shot was from outside the D.
Thurrock then scored their goal of the season, tackling Maldon from the restart , Thurrock ripped open Maldon with six top draw passes for Millane to slot home to secure his second for the game. There was still time for Maldon to threaten the Thurrock goal, but a perfectly timed tackle by Ben Knowles made amends for his howler earlier.
A good tough win for Thurrock which sees them take second position in NE14Hockey East Div 6SE, just three points behind leaders Brentwood IVs
On Saturday the 2s visit Brentwood Vs at 2 pm
Mens III (Saturday) xxx
WAPPING VIII 5 – 1 THURROCK III
After a seven week layoff, Thurrock returned to NE14HOCKEY Div 8SE to face a strong Wapping side who pressed forward from the start. After only five minutes, Thurrock were behind when a cross from the left was not cut out and fell perfectly for an attacker to flick the ball past keeper Mark Harvey. The Thurrock defence worked hard but some skilful stick work by Wapping saw them pulled out of position and a well-struck shot from the edge of the area crept inside the post to make it 0-2 after 12 minutes. Gradually Thurrock got into the game and midfield work by Gary Venus, Himesh Patel and Dave Everett were able to supply ammunition for attackers Jimmy Venus and Michael Fleming which eventually produced a goal when Fleming skilfully drew the keeper before putting the ball through his legs and into the net. Fleming was unlucky not to add to his score when soon afterwards he seized on a centre from Mat. Skinner and dribbled into the area before shooting inches wide.
A change of formation at half time saw Wapping resume their domination and they added two more goals within 10 minutes with well-practiced passing that Thurrock struggled to intercept despite Jimmy Venus coming back to bolster the defence. Thurrock had their moments with Fleming and Patel both seeing shots saved by the keeper but their attacks were spasmodic and allowed the home defence to push up the pitch to increase the pressure on Thurrock. In the last minute, Thurrock’s woes were compounded when Wapping scored from a short corner which was flicked into the top corner leaving the Thurrock defenders rooted to the spot.
Mens III away to Rochford Casuals at 1.30 pm
Mens III (Sunday) xxx
THURROCK III 1 – 6 OLD LOUGHTONIANS WOODSMEN
Playing their second game in two days in NE14HOCKEY Div 8SE Thurrock struggled against a side who have only lost once this season. The strong Loughton team easily cut through the Thurrock defence and scored two goals in the first 10 minutes. Thurrock found it hard to link passes together and rarely got into the opposition half of the pitch and it was no surprise when they conceded a third goal after 20 minutes from a short corner. Thurrock did make some progress and Jimmy Venus collected a pass from Liam Birch and drove into the area only to be dispossessed with goal in sight. Michael Fleming was unlucky to see a well-struck shot deflected over the crossbar by the agile keeper.
As Thurrock tried to push forward they left themselves vulnerable and conceded a fourth goal just before half time. In the early stages of the second half Thurrock showed promise with Himesh Patel and Gary Venus linking together to move the ball into the Loughton D only to come against a strong defence who quickly returned the ball up the field to pressurise the Thurrock defenders and force them into conceding a series of penalty corners which produced two more goals.
In the last 10 minutes of the game Thurrock suddenly found their form and dominated the game forcing the visitors into defence. Dave Everett went close when his shot deflected off the keeper and hit the outside of the post whilst Liam Birch had a shot scrambled off the line as Loughts worked hard to hold the Thurrock tide. In the last minute of the game, Thurrock’s pressure finally bore fruit when Birch collected a pass from Sam Webb and weaved through the area before flicking past the advancing keeper.
