Match Reports

Harlow Town 1 - 2 East Thurrock 26/04/2008

The Rocks needed to win their last two games of the season to have stood any chance of retaining their Ryman Premiership status; this they did but results elsewhere doomed them to relegation.

East Thurrock dominated the first half but Ben Boyce’s hot in the 27th minute comfortably saved by James Hassell was the best chance to break the deadlock. At the other end Shane Gore had to wait until the 44th minute before needing to pull off a save, from a long-range free kick.

The second period, however, was a different story!

In the first minute Ashley Dumas’s free kick from the edge of the penalty area clipped the crossbar with Hassell well beaten. Play soon shifted to the other end and within a minute Clark Akers had put the home team in front. Ex East Thurrock forward had the ideal opportunity to extend Harlow’s’ lead in the 51st minute from the penalty spot, but Gore saved the shot to keep East Thurrock in the game.

Midway through the second period Rocks continued to press for the equaliser, Rio Alderton’s looping shot went wide of the target, Hassell again had to be called upon this time to deny Tony Boot. It was Max Cornhill in the 72nd minute who latched onto a clearance from the Harlow defence, and through determination ran at the defence beating three players and volleying past Hassell.

In the 77th minute East Thurrock had an appeal for a penalty when Cornhill was brought down, but the decision was given on the edge of the penalty area, Dave Lee’s shot went narrowly over the bar.

In the last minute of normal time Hassell was replaced in goal by youngster Michael Dumoulin. Within a minute of coming on his first task was to pick the ball out of the net. A long through ball found Boot who slid his shot past Dumoulin who had failed to close down on the Rocks forward.

The victory was no more than East Thurrock deserved in this game, but their fate was determined elsewhere on the day.

Gore, Newby, Dumas, Cornhill, Alderton, Wood, Williams, Boyce (Boot), West, Wareham (Martin), Harrison (Lee).

East Thurrock 1 - 1 Ramsgate 16/02/2008

Manager John Coventry is gradually getting together a team that can compete against the teams with their sights on a play-off place at the end of the season, in this game the ‘Rocks’ won their first point against the ‘Rams’.

East Thurrock put early pressure on the visitors defence but the first real goal scoring opportunity can to Ramsgate’s’ Lenny Piper after 15 minutes but he dragged his shot wide of the target. East Thurrock responded with Steve West’s attempt to lob Paul Wilkinson in the visitors’ goal going wide and both Keith Martin and Kris Newby having chances saved.

It was Ramsgate who took the lead in the 24th minute, an in swinging corner from the right was headed on at the near post by Stuart King for the tall Olly Schulz to head home from close range.

Shane Gore had to pull off two top class saves to keep the Kent team at bay, whilst at the other end Wilkinson again needed to be alert to prevent Ashley Dumas and Martin from levelling the scores before the interval.

The pattern continued after the break, again Wilkinson thwarted a Martin chance and Ramsgate had a shot crash back off the crossbar. On the hour mark the pacey Ricky White and Craig Braham-Barrett were introduced and linked with that of Newby and Dumas caused problems for the visitors. This was highlighted in the 68th minute when Dumas had a determined attacking run on the left wing and crossed into the penalty area, the ball broke to Max Cornhill who volleyed the ball into the bottom corner of the goal.

Within a minute of the restart Braham-Barrett was fouled on the edge of the area by Lee Craig to prevent the East Thurrock player cutting into the penalty area, from the free kick Wilkinson held onto the goal bound shot from White.

Gore, Pashley, Hughes (White), Cornhill, Ohakan, Wood, Newby (Braham-Barrett), Williams, West, Martin, Dumas.

East Thurrock 0 - 3 Chelmsford City

Three goals in a ten-minute spell midway through the first period gave Championship favourites Chelmsford (15 points clear of the second team) all three points. The visitors had the advantage of a strong wind in the first half and made best use of this together with their slick passing movement. Shane Gore in the ‘Rocks’ goal had to make decent saves from efforts by James England and James Lawson before the opening goal was converted in the 19th minute.

Gore had pushed the ball round the post from a long-range effort from Stuart Ainsley and from the resultant corner taken by Jon Keeling, Bertie Brayley tapped the ball into the net.

In the 26th minute Gore misjudged a bouncing back pass, which allowed Brayley to gain possession of the ball and score into the unguarded net. The third goal was one which came from the determination of Ainsley, having beaten off the tackles of two defenders he cut inside the penalty area and sent a fierce volley into the goal giving Gore no chance.

After the break East Thurrock came back into the match, putting pressure on the visiting defence forcing three consecutive corners within the opening four minutes of the period. The Chelmsford defenders having to call upon their experience to deal with the threat.

Midway through the period John Coventry changed his tactics by putting Steve West into attack from defence and the added height and strength gave the visitors more to contemplate with both West and Keith Martin coming close to scoring.

Gore, Newby, Dumas, Wood, West, Alderton, Ansell (Faulkner), Cornhill, Foyewa (Georgiou), Martin, Williams

East Thurrock 2 - 4 Billericay Town

The ‘Rocks’ were two goals to the good by the 17th minute and dominated their visitors and should have made it three if Jamie Richards header two minutes later not gone just over the bar. Billericay were then given more space to play in as East Thurrock sat back on the lead.

The opening goal came in the 4th minute, the rapidly improving Kris Newby had forged an attack on the right and laid the ball back to Lee Williams whose first time ball sliced through the visitors defence, Richards ran onto the pass and slid the ball into the net past the advancing Ronnie Worster.

The advantage was doubled on 17 minutes with Steve West scoring in the fourth consecutive match. This goal came as he headed home an Ashley Dumas’s corner.

Billericay pulled a goal back in the 39th minute, Lee Hodges free kick near the left touchline found the head of Paul Shave (who was to have an input into all Billericay’s goals) at the near post, who steered the ball into the net.

The visitors were in positive mood from the start of the second period and only three minutes after the restart Rikki Burbridge’s header came back off the underside of the crossbar. Soon after Bradley Woods-Garness beat two defenders cut inside and blasted his wayward shot out of the ground.

Midway through the period Billericay rode their luck as they failed to clear the ball out of their penalty area but managed to block four goal bound shots before the final effort from Dumas found the outside of the side netting.

Billericay brought the scores level in the 78th minute when Woods-Garness scored from the penalty spot following a foul on Shave by Newby. Seven minutes later Burbridge gave Billericay the lead, again from a free kick after Shave had been fouled, when he volleyed home from the edge of the penalty area.

The fourth goal came in stoppage time, Shane Gore had failed to hold onto a shot and the first player to react was Shave and made no mistake in tucking the loose ball into the vacant goal.

Gore, Williams, Dumas, Wood, West, Harrison (Martin), Newby, Alderton, Richards, Purser, Husnu (Cornhill).

East Thurrock 1 – 0 Leyton

A Steve West goal clinched all three points for the ‘Rocks’ against a rapidly improving young Leyton side. The strong wind was a problem throughout the match, which was played in good spirit by both teams looking for confidence building wins.

The first goal scoring effort came in the 11th minute, an attacking move on the left involving Steve Harrison and Kurt Husno, the latter’s far post cross was met by the head of Gary Ansell only to be saved by Sam Tanner. Two minutes later Billy Bricknell had a chance to give the visitors the lead only to head over the bar.

At the mid point of the first period Ashley Dumas won the ball near the junction on the touchline and centre line advanced into the Leyton half and sent a perfectly weighted pass into the path of Wayne Purser whose volley flew wide of the target past the advancing Tanner.

West headed the 29th minute goal home as he rose at the far post to meet Dumas’s free kick.

In the 49th minute Leyton struck the post after the ball rebounded back from a clearance apart from that the second period was mainly dominated by East Thurrock with the wind advantage.

West and Harrison had both seen headed efforts miss the target before Tanner in the 80th minute did well to push Husno’s shot onto the post and safety. Soon after an individual effort from Keith Martin flew over the bar.

Gore, Williams, Dumas, Alderton, West, Faulkner, Harrison, Wood, Ansell (Martin), Purser (Richards), Husno (Newby).

East Thurrock 1 - 0 Boreham Wood 22/12/2007

East Thurrock recorded their first win under new manager John Coventry by virtue of every player showing commitment and a willingness to work as a team. A week previous the visitors had shocked league leaders Chelmsford by winning 4-2 but in this match they showed little as a threat in the final third of the pitch.

The home team were frustrated by getting caught in the offside trap laid by the visitors but throughout the first half looked the most likely to score.

The only goal of the game came in the 26th minute. Kris Newby sent in an in swinging corner from the left which Steve West headed firmly goal wards. ‘keeper Noel Imber could only palm the ball into the net. In the next few minutes the ‘Rocks’ continued to pile pressure on the Boreham Wood goal. Imber did well to make saves from Jamie Richards and Wayne Purser. Steve Harrison had a fierce volley fly over the crossbar and in a repeat of the goal scenario West’s header also went over the target.

Boreham Wood were never allowed to settle on the ball as soon as any player gained possession they were rapidly closed down by an East Thurrock player, whatever part of the pitch they were in.

Just after the restart Purser beat the offside trap and sent his shot into the side netting and Richards had his shot blocked by the legs of Imber. Tommy Williams gave the visitors hope with goal bound shots but Shane Gore in the East Thurrock goal prevented any score.

Gore, Newby, Dumas, Wood, West, Faulkner, Alderton, Harrison (Ansell), Richards, Purser, Williams (Cornhill)

Before the game there was a presentation to Wes Faulkner – over 200 matches

East Thurrock – 0

Harrow Borough – 0

Like a lot of matches on this Saturday the players had to come to terms with the high winds and soggy pitches. To the credit of both sets of players, and the sensible approach undertaken by referee Mr Forrester, an entertaining end-to-end match was played out.

Harrow took time to adjust to the tail wind and often found themselves over-hitting forward balls, at the other end the east Thurrock forwards were getting frustrated with the successful offside ploy employed by the visitors.

Having noted the above both teams had opportunities to break the stalemate. The best move of the first period came in the 24th minute for the hosts, a determined run into the visitors last 1/3rd by Steve Harrison gained the momentum, he laid the ball out to the right flank to Ken Kennedy whose low cross into the penalty area was just in front of the advancing Jamie Richards who would only needed a slight touch on the ball to convert.

Max Cornhill and Richards again came close before Shane Gore was called upon to save a shot from Harrow’s James Bent.

Within two minutes of the restart Robin Shroot had the ideal opportunity to give Harrow the lead only to see his shot come back off the upright, the same player in the 67th minute contrived to miss the target from close range with it at his mercy.

More rain compounded the difficulties in playing but again the players coped and the flowing attacking football continued. Kris Newby and Ashley Dumas brought the best out of Harrow’s keeper Gary Ross, and a dipping free-kick from Dumas was only just over the bar, while at the other end Jonathan Constant and Danny Leech saw volleys fly over the target.

Gore, Williams, Dumas, Wood, Stevens (Faulkner), Ansell (Newby), Kennedy, Cornhill, Richards, Martin (Hart), Harris

Tonbridge Angels 0 – 0 East Thurrock 1/12/2007

East Thurrock became the first team for over matches to stop Tonbridge from scoring. A resolute defensive performance with Steve West in the heart of it and a string of top class saves by Shane Gore in the latter stages of a very entertaining game brought about the end to the hosts’ proud record.

It was Matt Reed in the Tonbridge goal that was kept the busiest throughout the game, indeed within the opening 20 minutes the ‘Rocks’ were piling pressure on the home defence requiring goal-bound efforts from Jamie Richards, Max Cornhill, Kris Newby and Ken Kennedy to be kept out.

Tonbridge gradually got back into the game forcing a number of corners and making the best use of the strong wind and only two goal-line clearances prevented them from going in front. Towards the end of the period East Thurrock brought the services of Reed back into it with saves from Richards and Cornhill.

The second period continued in the same way, after a spell of East Thurrock pressure the ball broke loose and with only Gore to beat Tommy Tyne’s rushed shot was wide of the target.

In the 65th minute East Thurrock were awarded a free kick just outside the penalty area. Steve West’s fierce shot was fumbled by Reed on his line, but the assistant referee was honest in saying he was not level with the goal-line to give a decision of it having crossed over or not he had only just been checking for any offside decision from the kick).

Soon after Gore pulled off a diving save from a well hit Tyne volley and then the visiting defence were called upon to fend off a series of Angel’s attacks, often the ball bouncing round the penalty area like a pinball.

In the last minute of added time substitute Daniel Tenkorang’s effort flashed over Reed’s goal to deny the ‘Rocks’ victory.

Gore, Williams, Dumas, Cornhill, West, Wood, Newby (Tenkorang), Harrison, Richards (Bajada), Kennedy (Faulkner), Harris.

Billericay Town – 2 06/10/07

East Thurrock – 5

Right from the kick off the Rocks showed their intentions to produce attacking football and silence the home supporters. Within the first 60 seconds Leli Bajada’s shot struck the upright only for Jamie Richards to send the rebound over the bar.

East Thurrock continued to put pressure on the Billericay defence with the majority of play in the Billericay half of the field, but against the run of play a long clearance out of defence found Joe Flack and in their first real attack on goal he slipped the ball past Shane Gore to open the scoring.

In the 29th minute the home defence failed to send the ball to safety following a period of panic, the ball being only cleared to the edge of the penalty area where Jamie Richards volley was deflected into the net by a Billericay defender. A similar situation was played out in the 41st minute, this time Richards shot was deflected past the Billericay ‘keeper Jack Buckfield by Bajada.

Just before the half time break Billericay were awarded a penalty, which Flack crashed against the crossbar.

Within a minute of the restart Paul Abbott equalised with a long-range effort through a crowded penalty area.

Goals for Bajada came in the 50th and 52nd minutes. The first when he was set clear on goal cut inside the defender and placed the ball past Buckfield into the goal. East Thurrocks fourth was courtesy of Bajada’s volley from a perfectly weighted Lee Burns cross from the right.

The final nail in Billericay’s coffin was in the 90th minute when Burns gathered the ball mid way in the Billericay half, and with only Buckfield to beat made no mistake with his low shot to the left of the ‘keeper.

Gore, Collis, Dumas, Stevens, Faulkner, Cornhill, Burns, Bajada, Williams, Richards (Edusei), Harris (Ansell).

sgate – 4 08/09/2007

East Thurrock – 0

Ramsgate team is packed with tall, physical players and rely on sending forward long balls. With the added advantage of two ‘long throw’ specialists they have another weapon to exploit the presence of these players. As early as the seventh minute this tactic was used resulting in Jamie Riley receiving lengthy spell of treatment for a thigh injury after being clattered by Sean Welford, who received a booking for the challenge.

East Thurrock dominated the opening third of the encounter, pinning their host into defensive mode for much of this part of the match. In this spell the ‘Rocks’ deserved to have been two goals in front. A penalty appeal for handball was turned down; in 99% of such incidents a spot-kick would have been awarded without question. Matt Lovell had a goal bound volley blocked and could only scoop the rebound over the target. Leli Bajada was causing the defence problems every time he ran at them; following one such attack Jamie Richards’ shot was narrowly wide of the target. Then Max Cornhill’s volley from a Richards cross was blocked and scrambled to safety.

In the 36th minute Ramsgate opened their account when Simon Pettit tapped home from close range after the East Thurrock defence has failed to clear a free kick from the left swung in by Steffan Ball.

The turning point in the game came in the 40th minute when Bajada was sent off for retaliation after being fouled by Nick Davis, who received a booking for this challenge.

After the break Lee Patterson, already without Lee Burns, Danny Harris and Dean Chandler made changes to the team set up. Having started with Steve west in central defence he was pushed up to a more familiar role in attack. It was not long before Wests’ presence in attack resulted in the Ramsgate ‘keeper Paul Wilkerson being forced to pull off a save from a header.

Ramsgate extended their advantage in the 61st minute in somewhat fortunate style. Ashley Burton over hit his cross from the right and found lurking beyond the far post Warren Shultz, whose attempt to head back into the penalty area looped into the air and over the stranded Riley.

Ramsgate continued to use the long ball approach, which paid dividends twice more, Ball and Dalton scoring the goals.

Riley, Collis (Stevens), Dumas, Lovell, Faulkner, Cornhill Turnbull), Williams, Bajada, West, Richards, Ansell (Johnston).

EAST THURROCK – 3 01/09/07

HENDON – 2

The match started at a lively pace and Hendon were making the best of a strong wind in their favour. This was highlighted in the 7th minute when an angled lob by Brian Haule went narrowly over the bar.

In the 10th minute a shot from Jamie Richards was scrambled off the goal line and the ball fell to Max Cornhill who also saw his goal bound shot cleared to safety.

However three goals in the space of thirteen minutes for the Rocks gave the home team the advantage at the break. In the 20th minute a flowing move on the left flank was rounded off with Danny Harris dummying his defender and sending over a cross to the far post for Leli Badaja to head home. Six minutes later a Lee Burns corner from the left was met by Badaja and again the volley was cleared from the goal line, only this time the follow up by Richards found the back of the net. Then in the 33rd minute Richard Wilmot in the Hendon goal conceded a penalty by fouling Gary Ansell, up stepped Steve west to crash home his second pot kick in a week.

At the other end Hendon were wasteful with their goal scoring opportunities. After a bright first period the second half was flat until ten minutes from time. In the 80th minute Jamie Busby sent in a long range shot from the right, which was deflected into the net by Brian Haule. This gave Hendon hope and they started to push forward and in the 90th minute added a second, scored directly from a free kick taken by Wayne O’Sullivan.

East Thurrock ended the day on top of the Ryman Premier League, 2 points clear of Staines.

Riley, Ansell, Dumas (Lovell), Stevens, Faulkner, Cornhill (Williams), Burns, Badaja, West, Richards, Harris (Harrison).

BOREHAM WOOD 2 – 2 EAST THURROCK 18/08/07

East Thurrock took the lead in this opening Ryman Premier League match in the 34th minute. Ashley Dumas having shaken off the attention of two ‘Wood’ defenders sent in a cross from the left into the centre of the goal area, where goalkeeper Noel Imber failed to hold onto the ball under pressure from Steve West who converted from close range. However, it was the hosts who had the first meaningful goal scoring opportunity when Jamie Riley had to dive to his left to concede a corner from a low shot by Simon Thomas.

Boreham Wood started the second period with more purpose and belief than they had shown before the break and immediately Riley had had to save a goal-bound shot from a narrow angle on the right.

The ‘Rocks’ should have put the game out of the reach of ‘Wood’,

In the 56th minute Steve West’s fierce header from a Lee Burns corner was headed off the line by Marvin Samuel

59th minute an in swinging corner from the right by Dumas was heading for the far top corner before Imber scrambled to push the ball over the bar.

62nd minute again Imber failed to hold onto the ball which eventually broke loose to Jamie Richards, whose volley found the outside of the side netting.

Two goals inside two minutes by Boreham Wood in the 64th and 66th punished the earlier misses, Joe Reynolds made a strong run out of defence on the right and laid a well placed pass into the path of Chris Bangura, who with only Riley to beat found the back of the net. The second goal was scored by substitute Greg Morgan with his first touch of the ball, when a far post centre from the left found him at the far post to head home.

Lee Burns scored a spectacular goal in the 87th minute from 25 yards out; the ball was perfectly placed for him to strike a dipping volley over Imber and into the goal, levelling the scores. An injury time attempt by Richards found the side netting, when maybe he could have taken a little more time to compose himself.

Riley, Collis, Dumas, Stevens, Chandler, Cornhill, Burns, Bajada, West, Richards, Harris (Boyce).