Isthmian North
East Thurrock United 0 v 4 Hashtag United
ROCKS were rolled over by Jay Devereaux’ Isthmian North title chasing ‘Tags, whose 4-0 win was their tenth successive league win.
And on this form, the phenomenon that is Hashtag United will take some stopping in their rapid rise up the non-league pyramid.
On the plus side for the Rocks, their experiment of staging a first ever home Friday night game was a huge success as a bumper crowd of 607 created a brilliant atmosphere inside Rookery Hill.
On the pitch, Rocks cause wasn’t helped by having to go into the game with key players Harry Hope and Ben Steward both out injured. Their absence was tempered to a degree by the return of last seasons “player of the year” Johnny Ashman, who has rejoined the club after spending the first half of the season with Isthmian Premier club Haringey Boro.
The opening exchanges were evenly and completely contested, with both sides creating openings. The Tags had strong claims for a penalty waved away five minutes in after Pedro Carvalho went tumbling in the box, then Matt Wooldridge fired just wide of the mark after a great solo run into the box.
At the other end the returning Ashman showed similar skills, as he ghosted past a brace of defenders, but as he was about to pull the trigger a last gasp challenge nicked the ball out for a Rocks corner.
Then, around the half hour mark, the Tags scored a quickfire brace which put them in control of the game. First Toby Amorolaran found space wide on the right after a free kick was headed on, and fired a stunner across the Rocks goal and in off the far post.
A couple of minutes later, former Rocks man Tom Anderson got on the end of a left wing corner to head powerfully past Montel Joseph in the Rocks goal.
On the stroke of time Rocks looked certain to pull one back as the ball bobbled around the Tags goalmouth. First Anderson had to scramble a Brian Moses shot off the line with Hashtag keeper James Philp stranded, then Anderson was in place again to clear a Rocks effort from the rebound.
No sitting back on the lead from the Tags after the interval, and Joseph was forced into making a couple of decent saves, one a brilliant diving save to deny former Portsmouth, Wolves and Forest man Greg Halford.
A third Hashtag goal came with twenty minutes or so left when another former Rock, Max Cornhill tucked the loose ball home after Joseph had failed to gather cleanly.
Moses was then denied by a decent save from Philp, but the Tags had the last laugh when the vastly experienced Halford sent Joseph the wrong way from the penalty spot after Jermaine Francis had been brought down.
Couldn’t help but be impressed by the visitors overall display on the night. Most probably the best side we’ve faced this season.
