Tilbury 8, Toby FC 0

Pre-Season Friendly Football is back!

Lakeside sports ground was where The Dockers kicked off their pre-season campaign as they faced Toby FC of the Essex Olympian Football League on saturday, 1 July.

Dockers started the game with a strong line-up featuring many of their new signings before letting some trialists showcase their talents.

Despite The Dockers starting strong, it looked like Toby had delivered the first goal when a brilliant pass released the winger. His square ball found the striker, whose effort was fabulously stopped by Antony Page, but the save could only direct the ball onto the post for a rebound to be turned in. However, the linesman put his flag up early and the goal was disallowed.

The opening goal came after just 32 minutes when Olly Miles and Harry Hope linked up well in midfield to open space. Miles then beautifully found Salter making a run beyond the defence to play the winger through one-on-one.

Salter kept his cool and slotted the ball past the helpless goalkeeper. After dominating the first half, Tilbury came out strong in the second scoring just two minutes into the half through Jack McQueen. Harry Hope's free kick was sent into the penalty area where McQueen rose well to fire his header home and double his side's lead.

The Dockers struck again in the 52nd minute when Hope skipped past his man and released Ashman out wide. Ashman drilled his effort low and was denied by a good save, but Salter was first to react and played a low ball into the box where Izaih Antoine got in-between two defenders to poke home from close range.

It didn't take long for Izaih to return the favour though, as he played a brilliant ball which made its way to Tom Salter arriving at the back post as he fired his effort home to score his second of the game.

The 65th minute saw Tilbury's fifth as Tom Salter danced through everybody in his way and made his way toward the by-line where he drilled a ball across goal to once again assist Izaih Antoine for the striker to score his second goal.

Then, just two minutes later, Tom Salter capped off a brilliant individual performance as he received the ball 25 yards from goal. Salter took the ball on the turn and bent a strike into the bottom corner to score his hat-trick in brilliant fashion and to give his side a six-goal lead. Tilbury managed to find their 7th in the 69th minute, when Izaih Antoine was played through but unselfishly laid the ball off to trialist Mackenzie Vincent who took his chance and fired the ball into the top left-hand corner.

He wasn't done there though, when the ball fell to him inside the penalty area. Vincent showed brilliant composure to take the ball down and hit a volley on the swivel into the far side bottom corner to score his second and to cap off an 8-goal showing for The Dockers.

That was all the action in this opening pre-season matchup and a very dominant display from The Dockers saw them walk away with a very good result. Some brilliant performances all round from both signed players and trialists as we prepare for the upcoming 2023/24 season. Thank you to Toby FC for playing us and good luck for your season ahead! The Dockers are back in action on Tuesday 4 th July for a 7.45pm kick off at the EMR Stadium! GOALS: Salter x 3, Antoine x 2, Vincent x 2, McQueen. Report by Mason Hutchinson