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Monday 25th August – Bishop’s Stortford 2 – 1 Thurrock

League, 3pm

Bishops	Teams	Thurrock
2	Goals	1
3	Shots on	6
9	Shots off	3
0	Offside	1
9	Fouls Against	16
0	Yellow	1 (Flynn)
0	Red	0
2	Corners	4
323	Att	n/a
n/a	Star Man	Stadhart

Bishop’s Stortford came from a goal down to extend Thurrock’s League run without a point to five games.

During the early stages of the match Stortford looked very composed on the ball but their only effort came on 16 minutes when Luke Websters free kick was met by the head of home captain Paul Goodacre and looped narrowly over.

Thurrock punished Bishop’s Strortford for their lack of creativity as they themselves took the lead on 24 minutes in possibly the best move of the game.

Fola Orilonishe laid the ball back from the left to Nicky Greene, who switched to skipper Lee Flynn who had occupied the Right Back slot. Flynn then passed the ball all the way back to Andrew Young in the away goal. Young’s route one ball found Che Stadhart who controlled well having beaten the offside trap, and chipped his shot over Nicky Eyre and into the back of the net.

Stortford responded to the goal and just three minutes later equalised when Webster set Danny Harris free. The front man shot across goal beating Young, hitting the inside of the post and in.

Thurrock threatened to regain advantage as Danny Lodge’s blistering shot went close, and moments later Flynn’s free kick was headed goalbound by Stadhart only for Eyre to pull off a terrific save. Down the other end, Tom Champion set up Piers Wixon whose effort was cleared off the line before Webster shot over from close range to ensure the scores were level at half time.

As the second half started, the most notable incident was the injury to Phil Anderson within the first minute. Anderson, who was replaced by Jake Gilbert, went down unchallenged and replaced immediately raising concerns that he may add to the Thurrock injury list of Leon McKenzie, Greg Lincoln and Rob Swaine.

On 61 minutes, Orilonishe’s cross from the left found substitute Rhys Henry whose header across goal was cleared for a corner. Stadhart looked to have converted the resulting corner from Henry but his effort was cleared off the line. Gilbert received the rebound and just as he was about to shoot appeared to be fouled but shouts for a penalty was waved away.

From this, the home side counter attacked and with Thurrock players tracking back Idemudia Okojie’s through ball enabled Wixon the opportunity to coolly slot passed Young giving the hosts advantage.

Thurrock pushed forward for an equaliser and Lodge looked most likely to score, coming closest as his turn and shot was again superbly saved by Eyre, tipping over the bar.

Bishop’s Stortford could have extended their lead at the death when Matt Jones teed up a shot from the right, only for Matt Paine to throw his body at the ball and make an outstanding block.

Thurrock: Young, Flynn, Anderson (48, Gilbert), Clark, Paine, Masade (55, Henry), Orilonishe (72, Samuels), Greene, Lettejallow, Stadhart, Lodge Subs not used: Hussein, Araba

Bishop’s Stortford: Eyre, Jones, Taylor, Champion, Goodacre, King, Okojie (72, Mason), Edwards, Wixon, Harris (78, Dean), Webster (64, Jermy)

The Official site of Thurrock Football Club

Saturday 23rd August – Thurrock 1 – 2 Welling United

League, 3pm

Thurrock	Teams	Welling
1	Goals	2
10	Shots on	6
4	Shots off	2
5	Offside	2
17	Fouls Against	13
3	Yellow	3
0	Red	0
4	Corners	5
328	Att	n/a
n/a	Star Man	Braham-Barrett

Thurrock succumbed to their fourth defeat on the trot as Welling left Ship Lane with the spoils to ensure both sides maintain their current form.

The Fleet could have taken an early lead as Fola Orilonishe’s corner was headed towards goal by Rob Swaine but Jamie Turner tipped the ball over the bar.

Moments later, Che Stadhart was at the end of a long ball from Phil Anderson. Stadhart laid the ball square to Hakeem Araba but his shot, which beat Turner, rolled agonisingly wide.

Charlie Sheringham then threatened with a couple of long range efforts, and it was no surprise that he was to break the deadlock as Welling took a 27th minute lead.

A superb defence splitting pass from right back Tony Sinclair found Sonny Cobbs whose pass out left was crossed at the first attempt by Craig Braham-Barrett. Sheringham popped up to tap home from close range.

Thurrock grabbed an equaliser in the 35th minute when Orilonishe’s left wing cross was converted by Ebenezer Masade. Masade was then booked for taking his shirt off during the celebration.

The lead was short lived however as the visitors won a corner less than sixty seconds later. The set piece was cleared by the Fleet defence only as far as Cobbs, who chest the ball down and rifled home from 18 yards.

Welling could have made it three on the brink of half time as firstly Joe Healy’s header was palmed onto the cross bar by Andrew Young and the rebound was headed back against his own bar by Matt Paine before being cleared to safety.

Chances were few and far between in the second half, although substitute Danny Lodge caused panic for the visitors when he broke clear. His shot was saved by Turner in the away goal and Rhys Henry could not convert the rebound.

A much more threatening and encouraging second half for Thurrock, who may feel aggrieved to yet again end the game with defeat.

Thurrock: Young, Clark, Anderson, Paine, Swaine (70, Gilbert), Masade (56, Henry), Orilonishe, Flynn, Lettejallow, Stadhart, Araba (73, Lodge) Subs not used: Hussein, Greene – Booked: Flynn, Masade, Anderson

Welling: Turner, Sinclair, Braham-Barrett, Quinn, McEntegart, Andrews (83, Chappell), Green, Cobbs (56, Blackburn), Healy (60, Pinnock), Sheringham, Martin Subs not used: Andrews, Smith – Booked: McEntegart, Green, Turner

The Official site of Thurrock Football Club

Saturday 16th August – Team Bath 4 – 1 Thurrock

League, 3pm

Bath	Teams	Thurrock
4	Goals	1
7	Shots on	4
6	Shots off	2
1	Offside	1
9	Fouls Against	9
0	Yellow	0
0	Red	0
5	Corners	4
tbc	Att	n/a
Ake	Star Man	n/a

Thurrock paid the penalty for a very poor first half performance in their very first meeting with Team Bath at Twerton Park on Saturday.

It took the students just five minutes to take the lead. Takumi Ake picked out Steve Abbott, who with acres of space was able to pick his spot and shoot past Thurrock keeper Andrew Young. Just two minutes later and the home team went two up. Once again it was poor marking that allowed Ake to receive Mike Perrott’s cross on the left, turn inside and fire past Young.

Fleet had started the game with a back three but with the plan appearing not to work reverted to a more conventional back four.

It was the home team who were still having more of the play and only a good save by Young from Abbott prevented Fleet from going further behind.

On 32 minutes Thurrock did pull a goal back. A long clearance from defence was headed on by Hakeem Araba to Che Stadhart and his powerful shot from outside the area was too good for Team Bath keeper Jake Meredith.

Three minutes later Abbott restored The Students two goal advantage when he headed home Ake’s cross from the left. His header looping over Young’s outstretched hands. On the stroke of half time the match as a contest was over when Marc Canham delivered the perfect free kick for Sami El-Abd to head home.

The second half was a more even affair and in the 65 minute Thurrock were almost presented with a goal. Team Bath skipper Gary Warren’s header back to keeper Meredith seem to be heading into the net but Meredith was able to scoop the ball off of the goal line.

Five minutes from time Thurrock had the opportunity to make the score a little more respectable when Stadhart was pushed in the area. It was Stadhart himself who took the spot kick but despite sending the keeper the wrong way the ball struck the post.