Eight games without a win but Thurrock take Woking to the 90th minute at Ship Lane. East Thurrock pull five points clear at the top whilst Grays keep the pressure on the play off places.
For East Thurrock Getting to the top was easy. Now comes the hard part. Sudbury are in the play off shake up and will be keen opponents. With nine games to go, it is all in Covo's mens hands.
Grays started quickly looking to bear down on the away defence, Alex Osborn looked his normal lively self and ran at the away defence and had an early shot blocked by Mark Kirby, who in turn hit a long ball to Leon Osei to run at the Blues defence. He found Joe Stevens but his shot went woefully wide. John Docker picked up the goal kick and released Danny Morgan, who's pass went to Osborn to hit his shot wide. Docker put the ball wide toward Danny Charge and a mis-timed challenge saw Charge stay down. He was immediately subbed by Si Thomas, on ten minutes and the sad sight of Charge taken away on a stretcher didn't look good.
Thurrock staring down the barrels of relegation after five defeats and two losses in the last seven games. With the visit of high flying Woking on Saturday its going to be a worrying few days for the Fleet supporters.
Rocks edged three points clear of their rivals, who have two matches in hand, but he said: “In the end I was pleased to see the way the players reacted. We weren’t at our best, playing with a disjointed and new formation because of injuries but it was a result that shows our strength. In previous seasons we wouldn’t have come back to win the match.”
East Thurrock go back to the top of the table in a hard fought 3-2 victory in the local derby against Tilbury. Meanwhile Thurrock look woeful as the false dawn of the new bosses give way to a worrying slide to the bottom of the table.
EAST THURROCK boss John Coventry makes no apology for using the cliche that he is taking it "one game at a time" but tonights game against local rivals Tilbury takes on huge significance because if the Rocks win this one then they will go to the top of the table.
This is Paul's rookie year. Many expected that with his inexperience married to problems on and off the park that the Dockers would end up with a one way ticket to the Essex senior league.
But instead, week in, week out, Tilbury have grafted away. Sometimes the games haven't gone for them but they have never been outclassed and never been outfought.
Aveley were two-up within the first half hour. Tony Russell opened the scoring as he scored from close range after getting on the end of Kenny Beaney's free kick. The Millermen then went two ahead when Danny Slatter fired in a cracker from thirty yards.
That was until Nina Downham struck the first of her two goals, in the thirteenth minute, the move started with a West Ham throw deep in their own half the ball was played back to Jess Barling whose lethal left foot hit a pin point through ball into the path of Nina Downham who saw the Keeper off her line and from 18 yards chipped the ball over and into the net.
Grays carried on with their dominance with Fontaine running at the defence but his crosses were cut out by the home defence. A clever turn by Docker found Pennant clear on the edge of the box to be fouled by Kevin Horlock, amid penalty claims. The resultant free kick was well held by Gay. Osborn on the left was finding a lot of space and his runs in field were causing panic in the home defence.
After a promising start and an early goal Thurrock fell victim to another disappointing defeat against fellow strugglers The Magpies. Kenny Clark put the visitors in front after six minutes with his third goal in as many matches. Dorchester responded in a positive manner and were back on level terms just over six minutes later when Reece Connolley converted from close range.
East Thurrock are now equal on points at the top of the league thanks to a Max Cornhill winner and Needham dropping two points against.....Grays Athletic! More worries for Thurrock but brilliant away wins for Aveley and Tilbury.
The season finishes next month and everybody has something to play for. Thurrock, Aveley and Tilbury have relegation fears on their minds whilst East Thurrock keep pushing for promotion.
