Witham Town 2, Tilbury 2

A DRAMATIC conclusion saw Tilbury snatch a draw from the jaws of victory in Saturday's Isthmian North clash at Witham.

After a month of struggle Tilbury went into the match buoyed by the midweek Essex Senior Cup win against Harwich, and the match ticked into its final moments Dockers had a man sent off – then conceded an equalising goal.

Dockers gave a debut to defender Joe Elliott, brought in by managers George Christou and Jack Toghli, for whom he formerly played at Redbridge. Elliott made 166 appearances for the Motormen, where he captained them to promotion and won the Essex Senior Cup.

He joined Dockers from Walthamstow.

Tilbury took the lead before the break when Dan Trendall skipped past two defenders before being brought down on the edge of the area. Tobias Braney stepped up to take the free kick and put his strike into the top corner.

Following the interval, the visitors came close to scoring again with Mo Amir's flat delivery from a corner reaching debutant Elliott. The defender's header was cannoned towards the far post, but Billy Lawlor was able to match the effort with a very good save.

However, Dockers increased the deficit on the hour mark and Braney was involved again. Braney burst through the centre but was fouled just outside the 18-yard box. However, the referee played advantage, with Amir latching onto the ball and drilling his shot low on target.

Lawlor got a touch on the ball to take out the venom, but it continued to bounce goalward. A recovering defender got back brilliantly to make a goal-line clearance, but he could only flick the ball to the arriving Trendall, who fired home the rebound.

Soon after, Witham Town worked the ball up the other end and familiar face and former Docker Sam Bantick was slotted through down the left-hand side of the area, but his effort was dragged wide of the far post.

Town then grabbed what looked like a consolation with three minutes on the clock, when Tilbury failed to deal with a cross into the box as the ball bounced down in the area. Ziad Bakaar was first to react, as he netted from close range.

Then, in the dying moments, Braney was shown his marching orders when he was handed a second yellow card for delaying the restart of play. The resultant free kick was deep inside Witham's half, and Lawlor launched the ball into Tilbury's penalty area.

The initial delivery was headed clear, but only as far as Archie McFadden, who brought the ball down on the edge of the box and drilled his strike into the bottom right corner to equalise with the last kick of the game.

Dockers are back in action on Tuesday (25 November), when they travel to Takeley.

SQUAD: Wheatley, Fry (Phillips), Elliott, Hayes ©, Konte, Carter (Jones), Brocklebank (Spooner), Amir (Reynolds), Trendall, Braney, Agyiri (Forbes).

After the match it was announced long time Docker Oli Spooner, who came on as a sub at Witham, is leaving the club. Earlier this season he completed his 200^th match for the Dockers.

Oli Spooner.

He said: "Unfortunately my time at Tilbury has come to an end, we have made some great memories, playing over 200 games and captaining the club to get promoted back into the North, but it's now time for something new.

"Thanks to the fans who have been brilliant throughout the many years."