Only Grays miss out on a good day for borough sides
By Neil Speight
14th Mar 2022 | Local Sport
HOPE springs eternal and East Thurrock United players and supporters were in upbeat mood after Saturday's Isthmian Premier win against Kingstonian at Rookery Hill – a first double of the season for the Rocks.
The win was all the better as it showed real resilience after East Thurrock went behind to Kenny Beaney's goal just after the half hour.
However, Rocks drew level through Johnny Ashman on 59 minutes and the same player grabbed the winner with six minutes to go to delight spectators and players alike.
With nine matches to go Rocks remain second from bottom and eight points from safety but they are next in action at bottom club Leatherhead next weekend and will hope to make up ground on relegation rivals.
In the Isthmian North it was a good day for Aveley and Tilbury, but Grays Athletic suffered a narrow defeat at title-chasing Stowmarket.
The Blues took a lot of support to Suffolk and made up around a third of a crowd of 322 who witnessed a scrappy match with few chances at either end.
The one that proved decisive fell to Stowmarket's Willie Clemons in the first minute of the second half.
Aveley are still very much in the mix for the title after an emphatic 5-2 win against Coggeshall at Parkside, strangely in front of an identical 322 crowd.
The Millers made a great start with a goal from Alex Akrofi on seven minutes, his 21st of the season, and George Sykes doubled the advantage on 25 minutes.
Jon Benton and Sykes set the seal on victory with goals on 64 and 70 minutes respectively and though Coggeshall got one back through Dylan Logan on 81 minutes Benton's second two minutes later restored the four goal gap – through Logan did get a second consolation with five minutes to go.
Having used all their subs, Aveley spent the last ten minutes with ten men after Jason Ring picked up an injury but the spirit in the home camp was apparent as they sealed victory, summed up by manager Danny Scopes who said: "The boys' attitude and application has been brilliant, I can't fault them at all. We've got such a good group, who train with a real intensity and desire."
Tilbury had their 4-0 win at Hullbridge Sports all sewn up by half time. Roman Campbell had given them the lead on 26 minutes them in a dramatic last five minutes of the half Charles Bampo came on to replace Chris Millar and immediately scored, grabbing a second from the penalty spot soon after and then another penalty on the stroke of half time was converted by William Harris.
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