Redbridge never came out of the blocks and fell behind after 11 minutes when former-Redbridge forward Petrit Elbi put East Thurrock ahead. A long ball from midfield should have been dealt with by Matt Turpin who failed to clear the ball allowing Elbi time and space to round Rafis and slot the ball home.

Despite Daniel Hopkins and Lewis Dark working hard in midfield with Joe Gardner and Vinnie Durrant looking impressive down the flanks, Redbridge only had one chance to equalise in the first half.

The lively Durrant sped forward down the left linking up well with Gardner, sending in a dangerous ball into the six-yard box which James Robinson struck powerfully towards the net. Somehow keeper Richard Wray kept the ball out with a terrific one-handed save to his right to the shock of Redbridge’s management team.

HT Redbridge 1 East Thurrock 2

After the interval it didn’t get much better for Redbridge as Dark, one of the club’s heroes in their FA Cup Replay win at Oxford City was taken off at half-time with a groin injury with the experienced Dan Trenkel coming on as his replacement.

East Thurrock could have been 3-0 up within 10 minutes of the second half, but Rafis brilliantly tipped a Kris Newbury free-kick from fully 30 yards out wide before Sam Collins drove a shot againgst the bar with the ball cannoning back off the woodwork and away to safety.

The second for the visitors came midway through the half when a corner from the right was headed unfortuanlty into his own net by Trenkel who was trying to head the ball clear. Redbridge though got on the score-sheet not long after when Ryan Wade went down under a challenge inside the area and refreee Oliver Jackson awarded a penalty. Wade kept his composure to score his second penalty and goal of the season.

Despite Terry Spillane opting to put Glen Golby up top, Redbridge couldn't mount enough pressure to create an equaliser and fell out of the FA Trophy in disappointing fashion. Next up they face Crawley Town in the second round of the FA Cup in what will be the players and the club’s biggest game in their history. It’s certainly going to be a game that nobody connected with the club will ever forget.

Redbridge: Adam Rafis, Jamie Haywood (Ben Bradbury 71), Vinnie Durrant, Matt Turpin, Glen Golby, Lewis Dark (Dan Trenkel 46), Joe Gardner, Daniel Hopkins, Ryan Murray (Nathan Gordon 76), James Robinson, Ryan Wade.

Click here for Adam D's interview with our manager Terry Spillane from after the game.