Thurrock 0 Chelmsford City 2
Blue Square Bet South
Bill Robinson reports from Ship Lane…..
Thurrock started the New Year looking to forget the poor 2011 and still looking for their first home league win of the season, but up against a very good and confident City eleven it was never going to be an easy task.
He game was decided by two defensive errors that were cruelly punished by the slick City strikers.
In the first 45 minutes Thurrock looked good but both sides struggled to produce any real goal scoring chances as the game was once again a battle within the midfield.
The opening goal came in the 35th minute, a City attack down the right flank seemed to be going nowhere as Nathan Ashton tackled Michael Bakare close to the corner flag, both players continued to engage in pursuit of the ball but as Ashton failed to clear the ball to safety it was Bakare that managed to shoot from close range giving keeper Craig Holloway no chance.
HT 0-1
The second half started in pouring rain that became a torrent and changed the playing conditions.
As Chelmsford sat back it allowed Thurrock to take greater control of the game, chances were still few the best of which fell to Alex Osborn on the edge of the penalty area, but his firm shot was too straight ad keeper Stuart Searle made a fine save.
Further chances fell to Ahmed Deen and Lee Boylan but both failed to make the keeper work.
With the pitch becoming waterlogged a number of mistakes by both side made passing a challenge and therefore the game lost its flowing football.
With only four minutes remaining Chelmsford sealed the win with a second goal, Thurrock failed to clear the ball effectively and the visitors were helped by the conditions as the ball was played behind the Thurrock defence it stuck in the goalmouth mud allowing substitute Craig Parker to run onto and side foot home into the corner of the net.
Thurrock: Craig Holloway, Anthony Furlonge, Nathan Ashton, Stuart Thurgood, Louis Baucote, Luke I’Anson, Paul Terry, Sam Cutler (Goodhind 86), Alex Osborn, Drewe Broughton (Boylan 57), Ahmed Deen (Davis 77) Not used: Ben Bowditch, David Hughes
