Ryman Div One North
Thurrock 2 v 1 Ware
Thurrock 2 Ware 1
Ryman North
Report by Mike Tongue
On Saturday Thurrock FC remembered long term supporter and volunteer Roy Dellor with a one minute silence which was impeccably observed by everyone present at Ship Lane. This remembrance of a club stalwart maybe helped the players as Thurrock then went on to post another win on the board – moving them closer to the play off places.
A tentative start to the game saw no concrete chances to speak of in the first quarter of a hour, but suddenly burst to life when Ronnie Winn set up Remi Sutton to swing the ball in for Charlie Stimson, who was beaten to the header and Ware send a long ball downfield which Richard Halle calmly heads into Darren Behcet’s hands. Moments later it is George Winn putting in a neat tackle to come away with the ball before being fouled.
A crazy couple of minutes follows, Thurrock have a free kick twenty five yards out, Glenn Poole taps the ball to James Goode and his cross is charged down by Josh Oyibo who promptly gets booked – the officials deeming him to have moved too soon. Barely two minutes later and Oyibo rashly goes through the back of Glenn Poole and is shown a second yellow and sent off.
Despite being one man down Ware are still in the game and difficult to break down. Ross Wall flicks the ball through for Joe Christou who battles through two defenders before keeper Kyle Forster takes the ball off his feet and then pings another long ball to the wing to win a corner for Ware. Behcet is up well to take a clean catch as the ball travels across the area. Back down the other end and Thurrock play the ball around the edge of the box before Stimson plays the ball out wide to Reece Morgan whose cross drifts out. Ronnie Winn cuts inside his defender, makes some ground before playing to Sutton to cross from the left wing but again Ware are able to clear.
Thurrock make the breakthrough just short of half hour into the half. Ronnie Winn is again played through the middle, he is too strong for his marker, races clear and easily rounds the keeper who grabs an ankle bringing him to the floor. A yellow card and a penalty is the result, Glenn Poole steps up and drills the ball down the middle to take the lead.
A momentary lapse as a short back pass requires smart action from Behcet to get to the ball and a sigh of relief as his clearance is blocked but spins up into the air and back into his hands.
A frantic final ten minutes sees Thurrock seeking to extend their lead before half time. Charlie Stimson plays out wide to Reece Morgan who sprints down the line before delivering the ball onto Ross Wall’s head; the ball bounces off the back of a defender’s head to Poole who volleys wide. Morgan puts another cross into Wall who is denied by excellent defending by Marcus Rose who first blocks and then hooks the ball away. Joe Christou wins the ball and passes to Stimson who holds up play before passing into the path of an onrushing Sutton who fizzes the ball agonisingly wide.
Ware are still in the game and a free kick which drifts across the face of goal could easily have been converted if it had been half a yard closer to Nathan Mukuna. A clean tackle from Morgan breaks up another attack down the wing and then James Goode cuts out the second ball and releases Ronnie Winn into space. Winn finds Wall who is shepherded away from danger. Charlie Stimson battles on the bye-line to keep the ball in play and pick the defender’s pocket and gets the ball back to Winn who then finds Christou at the far post for a side footed volley that rises over the bar.
Into time added on, Morgan wins the ball at the edge of his box and travels down the line before passing to Stimson and continuing his run, Stimson gives the ball back and Morgan finds Winn who brings the ball under control but shows enough to have it taken away.
Ware are re-energised in the second half and George Winn picks another clean tackle to stop Ware after they break from a Thurrock corner and then clever feet from brother Ronnie opens up space to feed Wall who is flagged offside. With Ware pushing on Thurrock look to counter attack and Behcet kicks from his hands quickly to find the ever present Ronnie Winn who again finds Stimson at the edge of the area, Forster has come out to the eighteen yard line to close down Stimson who takes a pace away from goal, spins round but rushes and mishits his lob. From the goal kick Stimson badly miss-times a tackle at the halfway line collecting a yellow and conceding a free kick which misses everybody and clips the upright.
Harry Cook comes on for Stimson but still Ware press on and push Thurrock deep, to the point that Christou is making tackles in his own penalty area. The pressure pays off for Ware as they work the ball down the left wing and drive a low cross into the six yard box for Gareth Price to turn in with twenty minutes remaining.
Having equalised Ware chose to drop back and defend the point rather than continuing to push high and Thurrock were able to take advantage of the extra space. Reece Morgan again crosses from the right wing for Cook to challenge and get the ball to Poole who drags wide. Poole pings in a free kick which is helped on by Wall, Cook battles against two defenders to get to the ball, twists and shoots and hits the outside of the far post.
Thurrock lose the ball high up the pitch and Sutton tracks back to regain the ball and surge forwards again down the left wing, a cross field ball to Morgan to send into Cook who sees two shots blocked by last ditch defending. Behcet again delivers a pin-point kick to Wall who flicks on to Cook who again is stronger than his markers to get a shot away but cleared. Cook is on the ball again and gets the ball out to Morgan to ping the ball to Winn who gets his header on target only for Forster to save.
Two minutes into added time and the winner arrives. Thurrock work the ball across the box, Christou finds Cook who in turn sets up Wall to bury the ball inside the near post.
A hard earned three points at the end of the day as Thurrock move into tenth place with games in hand over most of the teams ahead.
Thurrock: Darren Behcet, Reece Morgan, George Winn, Richard Halle, Remi Sutton, James Goode, Joe Christou, Glenn Poole, Charlie Stimson (Harry Cook 63), Ross Wall, Ronnie Winn
Scorers – Glenn Poole (30′), Ross Wall (90′)
Ware: Kyle Forster, Jack Mace, Tom Bradbury, Ryan Hervel (Joe Reynolds 64), Marcus Rose, Murat Karagul, Aston Goss (Evandro Delgado 69), Josh Oyibo, Brian Haule, Gareth Price, Nathan Mukuna
Scorer – Gareth Price (70′)
