Rocks continue to sail away from relegation fears and into mid-table respectability. Who said outside bet for the play-offs! Meanwhile things look bleak for Aveley and Thurrock as they lose again and good wins for the Blues and the Dockers.
Eight points adrift of safety but they are competitive under the new regime. No giving up as we enter 2012 for the Fleet. The Rocks are on a great run as Covo and his men have a real rhythm. Another win and they are looking at mid-table respectability. After that, who knows?
Russell then kept out two strikes from Newby and twice foiled close range efforts from sub Kye Ruel, on for Elbi for the last seven minutes, but there could almost have been a reward for Canvey in the second of four added minutes when John Easterford headed across the face of goal from close range and any sort of touch from anyone would surely have put the ball over the line but it escaped everybody and drifted an inch past the far post.
Thurrock started the New Year looking to forget the poor 2011 and still looking for their first home league win of the season, but up against a very good and confident City eleven it was never going to be an easy task.
IT WAS cold, it was bitter, it was hardly champagne football but it was three vital points as Grays Athletic continued their pursuit of promotion.
Wakering should have scored in the first minute when a free kick just outside the area found the diminutive Billy Johnson. He had a free header but debutant keeper Tony Tucker made a wonderful save low and to his right.
Kris Newby and Sam Higgins do the trick again as the Rocks rack up another impressive victory.Things starting to look very serious as the Millermen suffer another defeat.
Alex read opened the scoring on the 24th minute. Matata equalised three minutes later. But the Dockers dominated the second half and it was only right and fitting that Joe Nightingill struck home the winner in the 78th minute.
Aveley continue to be competitive but once again fall short and see themselves now second from bottom of the league. It is going to be a real challenge.
And they found themselves behind on nine minutes when they gave the ball away cheaply and Zac Attwood cut inside before shooting from just outside the box, his low drive taking a deflection that saw the ball evade the outstretched arm of diving keeper Richard Wray.
It is the quiet ones you have to watch out for and the Dockers have now moved into a play-off positions and on equal points with Grays.It has been a very fruitful festive season for the Rocks with their third win in a row. It is looking much brighter.
"It is a move that is happening with full acknowledgement and supervision of the FA, the Ryman Football League and Essex FA - and also Companies House. The process is fully scrutinised at all levels and is recorded and recognised in administrative records of the Ryman League of which Grays Athletic officials will be aware.
A SAM HIGGINS hat-trick in the first fifteen minutes of this match secured a great local derby win for East Thurrock. The win saw the Rocks climb to fourth from bottom but also saw Aveley slump to second from bottom.
A TYPICAL Boxing Day local derby played with passion between two teams determined to take all the points. Despite the three red cards towards the end of the game this did not reflect the physical but fair manner in which the game was played.
After the game a delighted Tilbury manager Paul Vaughan said he was "Very happy with the performance, we created good chances and it was nice to go back to the old ways with the amount of goal scoring chances created. If we carry on like this, our next game against high flying Enfield Town will be competitive and looking forward to it.
LET'S be frank. This is not promotion winning form. Then again: what is? Needham Market lost 5-0 at home to Leiston.
Let's be proportionate: Grays are still only four points off the the top of the table. There are twenty games still to play and sixty points at stake.
Let's be fair: Gray's had a bit of a patched up team. Andy Hall was away, Lee Flynn was injured, Danny Bunce has left, Anthony Ryan was injured.
