Leatherhead 3, East Thurrock United 0

THE scoreline barely tells the story of Saturday's BetVictor Isthmian Premier clash at the Grove where much-depleted East Thurrock left the pitch to strong applause from the handful of travelling supporters.

The heart of the club that was challenging for the play-offs just a few short weeks has been ripped out by issues of the field and from the resources left to him manager John Coventry has gathered together a rag tag side shorn of quality but, as this match proved, big on heart.

In the build-up to the game club captain Ryan Scott jumped ship to join Concord Rangers and the feeling at the start of the match was of an impending heavy defeat.

And by the half hour that fear looked justified as Rocks were three down.

To be fair, the gap between the sides in terms of goals didn't reflect the game, just the rub of the green.

East Thurrock made a bright start and almost scrambled an early lead when a combination of the post and Leatherhead keeper Zaki Oualah kept out Frankie Merrifield's scrambled effort.

The first of Leatherhead's goals came six minutes in when central defender Danny Cossington was outmuscled by Ibrahim Olutade when the two chased a long ball.

Under pressure Cossington tried to pass the ball back to keeper Jack Giddens but under-hit it and Olutade seizes in the opportunity to slot the ball home.

A second goal, on 24 minutes, again owed something to fortune when Zachary Robinson's cross drifted over Giddens into the net.

And a penalty on the half hour, harshly awarded by ref Alastair Higgs for Halden Nuama's innocuous challenge, was slotted home by Izunna Ikebuasi to apparently seal the game.

But from then on Rocks grew in stature.

They were agonisingly denied a goal moments before half time when Oualah went full length to tip Darren Foxley's well-struck effort over the bar when it seemed destined for the top corner.

Rocks had much the better of the second half. Mitch Gilbey, short of match fitness after returning from a non-football related operation twice came close to grabbing a goal, firstly seeing Oualah block his close range effort then seeing the follow up scrambled off the line.

And Ayodeji Olukoga's thunderous shot was tipped onto the crossbar by Oualah.

Leatherhead were becoming increasingly frustrated by a team that wouldn't lie down and die and Crossley Lema snapped and slapped the effervescent Foxley in the face.