Ilford 0 v 4 East Thurrock
EAST Thurrock turned in a consummate, hard-working team effort to end Ilford’s impressive run of results against the Ryman One North’s high fliers and give themselves, for 24 hours at least, a seven point lead at the top of the table.
They can now finish no lower than second in the table, with just Needham Market, who play at Potters Bar on Tuesday, capable of denying them the title.
Rocks boss John Coventry sprang something of a surprise by changing the line-up from Saturday’s win at Potters Bar, pairing Leroy Huggins up front with Hakeem Araba and giving Piers Wixon the wide right berth at the expense of Kris Newby.
If his plan was to shake any complacency out of his team, it worked a treat and they were at Ilford from the off. Even the loss of Huggins after eight minutes when he turned an ankle didn’t dent the flow and his replacement, Neil Richmond, marked his return to the side after a lengthy injury with an imposing performance and two goals.
The visitors first went close to an opener when Max Cornhill drifted a header just wide of the upright and the same player then forced a fine save from Robert Budd.
The opening goal always looked as if it would go to Rocks and duly arrived on 22 minutes when Rocks’ powerful play caused problems in the box before Stanley Muguo latched onto a loose ball and thrashed it into the back of the net.
More powerful forward play earned Rocks a free kick on the edge of the box on 35 minutes and Joe Keith saw his shot come back off the underside of the bar, but the second goal arrived within a minute when a long throw from Ryan Sammons prompted panic in the home defence and Richmond pounced to force the ball home.
To their credit, Ilford didn’t buckle and in the closing stages of the half twice went close, giving keeper Richard Wray real moments of concern.
However, the game was put beyond the Foxes six minutes into the second half when Richmond broke through on the right and squared the ball to Araba, who seemed odds on to score but hit the ball straight at Budd. Fortunately for Rocks it rebounded into the path of Reiss Gilbey who showed great composure to side-foot the ball home.
Ilford still occasionally threatened and Adam Bolle was unlucky to se his effort drift over the bar.
But Rocks were the game’s overwhelming force and it was no surprise when they grabbed a fourth goal 11 minutes from time when Richmond helped the ball into the net with a well-placed, angled volley.
There still time for Rocks to have two seemingly valid penalty appeals waved away and give a debut to midfielder Mike Ramkin before the clock ran down on a night when Rocks really laid down a marker in the title race.
come on the rocks.