HASSENBROOK hurdles champion, Hayley McLean triumphed in the National Championships in Bedford at the weekend. Hayley won the U-17 Girls 300m Hurdles with a time of 43.38.
The Millers started on the front foot and could have taken a ninth minute lead when Sean Francis rose highest to head home Andy Howells’ free kick but was judged to be offside in a close call for the officials.
It would have been a travesty of justice had Rovers nicked all the points but they deserve credit for hanging on when the going was tough in the first half. Rocks, on the other hand, can take plenty of encouragement from the first half and if they dominate games like that again, they surely can’t spurn as many chances.
Thurrock should have equalised in the 34th minute when a fabulous turn by Bodkin down the right flank found Lee Roache whose shot come cross was inches away from the toe of Cliff Akurang and an open goal but the ball ran wide of the post.
The first day of the season for the Ryman League teams. Most eyes will be on Grays Ath to see if they can adapt to the tough old world down at the Ryman Div One North.
“It’s not a great deal of money and won’t put the club in an uncomfortable position. But if you do a job you expect to get paid for it and that’s the bottom line.”
Having said that, these are the games to try things out and it was clear that the performance in the second half will have lifted the spirits of the whole team and certainly make them excited for the first run out of the season against Harlow Town on Saturday.
And it did not get much better after the break as Harlow dominated for the majority of the half, something that must be worrying boss Alan Kimble, and after a goalmouth scramble Andy Porter managed to bundle the ball home from close range.
Home striker Ishmail grabbed two first half goals, split by an equaliser from Jimmy Webb. Kris Newby saw his second successive penalty saved before the break and things looked bleak for Rocks when Margate grabbed a third.
A second half performance which destroyed the Saints defence saw the Hammers pull off a fantastic morale boosting win just one week away from the league season.
Loan signing Tal Ben Haim, Fabio Daprela, Kieron Dyer, Junior Stanislas, Freddie Sears, Frank Nouble and Jordan Spence could all figure in Dyer's squad for the fixture, which will kick-off at Thurrock FC at 2pm.
