THERE were goals galore in matches involving borough sides this afternoon (Saturday, 23 November).

All the matches involving Aveley, Tilbury, Grays Athletic and East Thurrock Community FC all escaped the clutches of Storm Bert and went ahead. 

However, all but East Thurrock probably wish they hadn't as they slipped to emphatic defeats. 

Aveley were in action at Hampton and Richmond in the Vanarama National League South and went down 2-0 through second half goals from Kristian Campbell (54 mins) and Mike Atkinson (75).

That defeat pales into insignificance in contrast to the disappointment of Tilbury and Grays supporters.

Tilbury travelled to Capershotts to meet fellow Isthmian North promotion chasers Waltham Abbey. 

They did so with reasonably high expectations but returned home humbled on the back of a 7-2 hammering.

Dockers didn't even get on the scoresheet until they were 6-0 down!

Prince Domafriyie opened the Abbots' account with a brace on 29 and 39 minutes.

Nicholas Brown doubled that lead with further goals before half time.

Already this season Tilbury have pulled off some remarkable comebacks, but there was to be no miracle this time as Luke Deslandes (63mins) and Kymani Thomas (71) added to the torment.

Sam Bantick finally broke Dockers' duck on 73 minutes and Lindell Stewart added a second with a minute to go of normal time.

But the final word on a wet and windswept afternoon was the visitors' as Thomas added his second in added time.

Grays, also in the higher echelons of the Isthmian North,  played host to struggling Wroxham.

The visiting Yachtsmen, deep in the relegation zone, had the temerity to take the lead on 14 minutes through Ryan Miles.

Grays weathered that storm and Alejandro Machado's 21st minute goal put them level and eight minutes later Michael Finneran put them ahead.

But by half time Ryan Hawkins (38 mins) and Harvey Peters (42) had given the visitors the lead again.

Hawkins converted a penalty to increase the lead on 55 minutes and Ollie Sutton set sail on a happy journey home with a fifth for Wroxham, 15 minutes from time.

To compound Grays' disappointment Grays were then reduced to ten men when Sid Walker was sent off.

At the Wyldecrest Club in Corringham, East Thurrock put distance between themselves and the bottom places in the table with a 5-2 win against Tiptree Heath, completing a season double.