Thurrock bag another 3 points to keep the title challenge on track

After the craziness of Tuesday night and the media storm that followed it was a welcome return to normality as Thurrock welcomed Redbridge to Ship Lane.

It wasn’t a very good start for Thurrock though, Kamarl Duncan was injured jumping with two Redbridge players leaving them two on one with Michael Toner who managed to put the ball out for a corner. The corner came in and was flicked on from the near post for Charlie Parish to knock in. [0-1]

Thurrock came back searching for the equaliser. Charlie Stimson dribbled the ball into the area and onto the bye-line before being dispossessed. Remi Sutton won the ball in the middle of the pitch and passed through to Joe Christou to feed onto Ross Wall clear of the defence but the linesman raised his flag for offside. Lewwis Spence played a measured ball through to Charlie Stimson to race the keeper for, Stimson won the ball but had to turn away from goal giving the keeper a chance to palm away the attempted chip but only as far as Remi Sutton who put the ball into the near post and this time Stimson lost the race to the ball. Jordan Clark wins the ball in midfield and brings it forwards until he is fouled. The free kick gets cleared out to David Cowley who whips a cross towards Reece Morgan at the far post but it is plucked from mid-air.

Half an hour through the half and still Thurrock are trailing. Lewwis Spence put a free kick into the area which bounces around like a bagatelle but won’t go in the net.

Then came the equaliser and it was worth waiting for. Reece Morgan won the ball in defence and played it out to Cowley and took off down the right wing overtaking Cowley in the process. Cowley timed his pass into Morgan’s path perfectly for him to feed into Ross Wall. Wall got the ball under control and set the ball for Lewwis Spence to hit with the outside of his left foot to swerve the ball well clear of the keeper and into the sweet spot of the bottom corner. [1-1]

Two minutes later Spence nearly put Thurrock into the lead getting onto Cowley’s cross but only able to direct his header straight at the keeper and then a few minutes later Cowley and Spence linked up again and despite being fouled Spence managed to get an overhead kick but wide of the post.

Half Time Thurrock 1 Redbridge 1

Thurrock were pressing from the whistle in the second half. Remi Sutton brought the ball across the edge of the box before Joe Christou picked up the ball and took a snap shot which hits a defender. Remi brings the ball down the left wing again before playing into the middle of the pitch for Joe Christou to hit from twenty yards forcing a fingertip save for a corner which is played to the near post for Ross Wall to flick on but it hits a defender.

Thurrock are playing the ball in and around the area before Charlie Stimson has an overhead kick cleared for a corner. David Cowley plays it to the far post where Ross Wall crosses it back again for Lewwis Spence to blast goalwards, it comes back off the keeper for Spence to try again only for a defender to charge down with the ball falling to Stimson to hammer but third time lucky for Redbridge as once again a red shirt is in the way. Cowley plays the ball into Stimson who attempts a cheeky back heel which doesn't come off but he is quick witted enough to get the ball back and set up Lewwis Spence to shoot wide. Reece Morgan brings the ball down the right wing, beats two defenders before clipping the ball back to Charlie Stimson whose drilled shot passes inches wide of the far post. Lewwis Spence plays a short corner to Reece Morgan and receives the ball back again to shoot past the keeper only to see a defender clear the ball off the line for a corner on the other side which Cowley plays to the far post where Ross Wall and Michael Toner are both free but manage to get in each other’s way.

With twenty minutes on the clock Redbridge gave Thurrock a scare and nearly made them pay for the missed chances. A shot from thirty yards is heading for the top corner and Rhys Madden has to get across his goal smartly to push it away for a corner. Moments later comes another scare as a good ball between the central defenders allows another chance. Madden narrows the angle well and the shot goes wide.

With a quarter of an hour left Thurrock upped the tempo yet again. James Goode clears the bar from twenty five yards. The ball is played around the midfield before Stimson flicks the ball out to Cowley to send it in to Ross Wall and Lewwis Spence. Spence shouts for the ball and sends a powerful header low to the bottom corner but just outside the post. Reece Morgan sends in a ball in under the crossbar which is tipped over under close attention from Stimson. Stimson gets on the end of the corner with another overhead kick, again just wide.

With six minutes left Thurrock finally got the breakthrough. David Cowley collected the ball out on the left wing and brings it into the box before finding Joe Christou on the six yard line. Christou takes a moment to compose himself before threading the ball into the net. [2-1]

Lewwis Spence dispossess Rigers Kabashi and wins a corner which is met on the volley by Michael Toner but is charged down once more. The game is now into time added on when Ross Wall brings the ball forwards teasing the defence before setting Christou to win a corner. Spence and Morgan keep the ball in the corner to wind down the clock and are surrounded by three defenders, Spence twists his way between players and bears down on goal drawing the keeper before picking out Christou for a tap-in. [3-1]

Report courtesy of Thurrock F.C.