Chertsey Town 1, Tilbury 2

TILBURY remain as the borough's only representatives in the Isuzu FA Trophy thanks to a giant-killing act at Alwyns Lane on Saturday (4 October).

In front of a crowd of 410 Dockers emerged victorious against a team from the step above, claiming the Curfews' Southern Football League Premier Division scalp to collect £2450 in prizemoney and a place in Monday's draw for the first round proper, where they will pick up a minimum of £775 to add to the £6,250 already won.

The first round winners over the weekend of Saturday, 25 October get £3,000.

Manager Marc Harrison made a couple of changes to the starting lineup from Tuesday's home league win against Gorleston, with Kieran Jones starting to make his 50th appearance as he replaced the absent Jamie Reynolds. Lester Ward featured on the left, as Sam Carter also started for his 100th appearance, and new face Aaron Bryon featured amongst the substitutes.

The Dockers got off to the perfect start when a long ball forward in the 12^th minute was brilliantly flicked on by Jones and played into the path of Tyler Forbes, who kept his composure, took it around the keeper and slotted into the empty net.

Tilbury were one kick away from dreamland when Jones almost got his name on the scoresheet. The chance was created by Oli Spooner, who took the ball on the half-turn in the middle of the park and released Jones on the left wing. He skipped past two challenges as he advanced into the area, but the curling shot was saved by Luke Roberts.

The Curfews began to take control of the game and kept Tilbury pinned back into their own half. The hosts passed through the centre, and managed to slot a pass to the arriving Archie HarlandGoddard, but his effort was comfortably denied by Harry Fairs.

This pressure continued into the second half, when Oliver McCoy found space down the left and was fouled on the edge of the area. McCoy was given the responsibility of the free-kick and bent the strike towards the far corner. Spooner jumped in an attempt to clear the ball away, but he got a slight touch, which in turn deceived the already diving Harry Fairs, and Chertsey Town had found their equaliser.

Then things appeared to have gone from bad to worse for Dockers, when Oliver McCoy was fouled again, this time in the penalty area. As the forward took the ball around the keeper, Fairs brought him down and Chertsey Town had an opportunity to go ahead in the tie. But the Dockers shot-stopper went from zero to hero as he dived down to his right-hand side and saved McCoy's spot kick.

Then, in the 87th minute dockers struck the winning blow. Two substitutes combined, as Alex Balisani collected the ball on the left wing and drove at the full-back. Balisani danced his way to the by-line and his cross found Juwon Akintunde in space. The striker took a touch and fired the ball into the near-side bottom corner, and Tilbury were ahead once again.

Deep into stoppage time, the Curfews pushed forward and worked the ball to Daniel Berry who forced his way through the defence and into the penalty area. He lifted his strike over Fairs, but Jack Hayes got back incredibly to dive in and make a crucial goal-line clearance and see his side through to the next round.

SQUAD: Fairs, Reeve, Hayes, Martin, Konte, Carter (Bryan), Jones, Spooner © (Balisani), Ward, Appauh (Aderibigbe), Forbes (Akintunde). SUBS UNUSED: Bett. GOALS: Tyler Forbes, Juwon Akintunde.

The Dockers are back in action on Tuesday (7 October) when they travel to Brantham Athletic to replay the match abandoned due to floodlight failure when the visitors were leading 2-0.