FA Trophy 3rd Qualifying Round
Thurrock 0 v 2 Brackley Town
CONFERENCE NORTH leaders were just too strong for the basement side in the Ryman Premier as Thurrock lost 1-0 to Brackley Town at Ship Lane in the FA Trophy.
Thurrock were on the back foot from the off. The attacking duo of Brackley’s Robinson and Diggin working along the line.
Thurrock slowly found their feet. In the 13th minute, Harry Honesty was fouled on the wing after good work.The free kick came to nothing as did a corner sent over by Leroy Griffiths a minute later.
Brackley had a fair shout for a penalty in the 19th minute when right back James Clifton made a great run into the area and was fouled but referee Stuart Butler waved it away.
And Charlie Stimson was very lucky to stay on the pitch after a very clumsy tackle on Brackley’s Owen Story.
But Thurrock stuck to their task as Honesty continued to be a menace on the wing and Brackley found it hard to develop any sort of rhythm.
But before you knew it, in the 42nd minute, Glenn Walker produced a lovely cross from the left and Marvin Walker rose high at the far post to nod it in.
Robbie Norris had a chance to equalise on the stroke of half time but his thunderous shot hit the bar.
Brackley stepped up the pace from the re-start. Thurrock skipper Stuart Thurgood conceded two free kicks near the area.
But Thurrock were still in it. In the 60th minute, Thurgood sent over a lovely curled cross that Leroy Griffith just headed wide.
Harry Honesty wrestled free from the Brackley defence to chip over keeper Billy Turley but it just went over the bar.
The seasoned Turley held onto another great cross from Stuart Thurgood as the Fleet, with two subs on, looked for that elusive equaliser.
But their hopes evaporated after another clumsy challenge by Matt Turpin saw him red-carded. And the game was put beyond doubt by another header, this time by sub Gary Mulligan in the 84th minute.
Thurrock: Hughes D, Jones R, Walster B, Griffin F, Turpin M, Thurgood S, Wanadio L, Norris R, Griffiths L (Ibe C 62), Stimson C (Onyenmah M 70), Honesty H (Winters T 84).
Subs not used: Jeffries J, Viner W,, Goode J
Brackley Town: Turley B, Clifton, McDonald C, Odhiambo E (Sandy E 85), Corcoran M, Nisevic E, Story O, Soolkhon B, Diggin S (Mulligan G 75), Robinson M, Walker G
Subs not used:, Jones C, Brady J
