ALL the teams had to deal with dreadful conditions as it poured with rain all afternoon. Thurrock's match with VCD Athletic was abandoned in the 75th minute. The Rocks beat Grays Ath in a one-sded local derby. Great wins for Aveley and Tilbury.
A MISTAKE by Grays Athletic keeper, George Kamarusi on the stroke of half time turned this local derby as East Thurrock beat Grays 2-0 and consigned them to their first defeat of the season at Rookery Hill. The constant rain made conditions difficult and so there were unforced errors on both sides.
THURROCK put on an outstanding display to win comfortably against a Harlow side who had started the season in good form. It was Mark Stimson/s men who took the initiative early on when Joel Nouble headed home Anton Blackwoods cross in the 9th minute. Just 5 minutes later Thurrock extended their lead when Brad Warner started and finished a move which involved Lewis Perkins (pictured) and a ball across from Nouble to make it 2-0.
GRAYS ATHLETIC made it twelve points from twelve with a very accomplished performance to beat Wingate and Finchley 3-1 at Summers Lane.
Both teams started the game just feeling their way on the lush Wingate surface. The Blues looking smart in their brand new kit.
48 HOURS on from their first league defeat of the season to VCD and Aveley are back to winning ways beating Chatham Town 3-1 at Mill Field.
Goals from Sosthene Yao, Shane Oakley and debutante Nurudeen Kallon ensured that Aveley manager Justin Gardner got the reaction he was looking for following that defeat to VCD on Saturday.
THURROCK held on for a valuable point thanks to two penalties scored by Ben Smith, both in the closing minutes of each half.
The first half was very fragmented neither team settling into a pattern of play, but both teams did create half chances which kept both keepers on their toes.
AFTER two impressive performances, East Thurrock hit the wall against table toppers Kingstonian on Saturday and succumbed to a defeat that reflected the difference on the day between the two sides. The hosts started brightly and the visitors found themselves on the back foot thorough the opening stages and were a shade unlucky to survive an early penalty appeal when Matt Pattison went down in the box under a clumsy tackle from Tom Stephen.
AVELEY suffered their first defeat of the season as they succumbed to a deserved 3-1 defeat away at new-boys VCD Athletic. Sammy Knott’s goal seven minutes from time was the only bright spot in what was an afternoon to forget for the Millers who were 3-0 down within 17 minutes thanks to a brace from Tyrus Gordon-Young either side of a goal from James Duckworth.
What can you say: Three games and three wins for the Blues! Meanwhile, a 3-0 defeat for East Thurrock. This will have been a tough learning curve for Covo's young charges.
IT WAS three games, three wins for Grays Athletic as they absorbed the pressure to beat Enfield Town 2-0 at Mill Field. Early on, Enfield looked like they were determined to play a passing game and nearly sneaked one through bit it was intercepted by Joe Nightingill.
GRAYS ATH made it six points out of six with a cavalier, never-say-die 3-2 victory against a much-fancied Leiston at the Mill Field.
It was interesting to note that Bognor fans saw Grays as a street-wise team but in the early stages of this game, Leiston were shrugging Grays off the ball.
Great wins for East Thurrock away at Billericay; Thurrock at Chatham and Aveley at Redbridge. Dockers worked hard but to no avail as they lose their second game of the season.
AVELEY made a great start to their Ryman League North campaign with a Ross Wall inspired victory over hapless Wroxham – but, ever the perfectionist, manager Justin Gardner still bemoaned the fact his side conceded a goal. In fact Millers actually went in a goal down at half time following a wonder strike from Joe Marsden.
TILBURY started the new season with a disappointing showing at home to last season's 4th place side Witham Town. On a bright sunny afternoon, Tilbury gave debuts Lee Weemes, Bradley Doyle Ashley Taylor-Forbes and James Pinnock.
NOT the most impressive starts for Thurrock here today. The first twenty minutes they look comfortable on the ball and were passing the ball around but when AFC Sudbury scored on 17 minutes the game began to swing in favour of the visitors. The goal came from nowhere when Sudbury attacked wide on the right and the ball came across Thurrock failed to clear and it was Ben Thompson who reacted quickest and fired a shot in off the far post.
