Ryman Cup
East Thurrock Utd 1 v 0 Lewes
EAST Thurrock’s twentieth cup game of the season saw them deservedly clinch a place in the Ryman Alan Boon league Cup final.
The single goal scoreline flattered the visitors who were on the back-foot for most of the match and really only threatened once in the match reports the Thurrock Enquirer.
That incident came midway through a scrappy first half when a couple of corners heaped pressure on the some defence and they were grateful to scramble the ball off the line in a goalmouth melee which saw Lewes supporters, if not their players, screaming for the award of goal.
The Rock, while enjoying the lion’s share of possession, also rarely threatened an incisive moment in the first half, though centre-back Marc Gorbell lashed a close range acute angled strike across the face of a gaping goal in its closing seconds.
In the second half it was a different story.
It took the home side just four minutes to take the lead. Pressure on the visiting goal looked to have been abated when Lewes cleared their lines but hesitancy in midfield allowed full back Ryan Sammons to stride forward with the ball and he seized the moment, striking a low, bobbling shot that caught keeper Szelemet Pawel flat-footed and into the back off the net of the foot of the post.
Just a couple of minutes later Rocks threatened again and when Petrit Elbi burst through with the ball at his feet, Pawel left his line but his charging dive for the ball succeeded only in upending the striker – who was taking the lone up front role in front of hamstring-injured top scorer Sam Higgins – and ref Chris Pollard had no hesitation in awarding a penalty.
However, Pawel was able to breath a sigh of relief as Kris Newby sent him the wrong way but the ball bounced to safety off the inside of the post, striking exactly the same spot as Sammons’ shot just a few moment earlier but with a completely opposite result.
Despite the disappointment of the penalty miss, compounded by a booking for Newby which will rule him out of tow forthcoming matches as he has totted yup ten for the season, didn’t stop the flow.
From start to finish of the half Rocks kept Lewes pegged back and the only real surprise was that they couldn’t get the ball past Pawel again.
But that mattered not as they kept a clean sheet at the other end with come comfort and they will now face Bury, 2-0 winners against Lowestoft, in the final at Staines Town on Wedneday, 28 March.
