Coggeshall Town 1, Tilbury 1

ALL five sides at the foot of the Isthmian North ended up drawing on Saturday (25 March) - among them Tilbury and Coggeshall.

This was a big clash for both sides and there was little to separate them in the end.

New signing and returning Docker, Luke Reeve started at right back, while Rhamar Garrett-Douglas shifted to the left side of defence and Alfie Whiteaker moved to the bench.

Coggeshall registered the first shot on goal in a very tentative opening few minutes from both sides.

In the 10th minute, Darnell Kithambo, who scored four times when playing for Tilbury earlier in the season, worked the space to find the time for a shot, and his effort from distance was straight down the middle but it had enough venom to trouble Tilbury keeper Harry Girling .

Just two minutes later, Tilbury found a breakthrough with a brilliantly worked move. The Dockers won the ball back when Adam Vyse picked a defender's pocket and set the ball back to Chris Millar. Garrett-Douglas made a brilliant run down the left-flank which was picked out by Millar's perfect defence splitting pass. Garrett-Douglas then played a low ball to the near post where Tom Salter was on hand to poke the ball home from close range and give his side the lead.

The 19th minute a moment of magic from Town's Josh Osude when he showcased some mesmerising close control to spin past his marker and dance past three challenges before rounding the keeper. His solo run deserved a goal but from a tight angle, Osude tried to pick out a teammate but his cross was cut out by Garrett-Douglas, which denied a certain goal.

The game continued in end-to-end fashion when, just three minutes later, a corner for The Seedgrowers was quickly turned around by Salter who picked the ball up on the edge of his own area. Salter played a great ball out wide to release Alex Clark who beat his man and fizzed a cross into the box trying to find Salter, whohad continued his run forward. But the cross was brilliantly defended by Ben Search who cleared the ball over the crossbar.

Tilbury were denied claims for a penalty later in the half despite Clark seemingly being brought down inside the box.

Coggeshall took this opportunity to kickstart a counterattack by releasing Kithambo who then cut open the Tilbury defence with an even better switch of play to find Osude in acres of space on the left-hand side, but his effort was sent wide of the post.

On the stroke of halftime, a Coggeshall player was taken down on the right side of the penalty area which handed the home side a golden opportunity to level up the game heading into the break. The responsibility was handed to Kithambo, who fired his strike into the top right corner.

The second half vastly contradicted the first half, with many less clear chances from either side as both wanted to ensure they did not lose the game.

The hosts had a chance 25 minutes into the half when Rowan Dorling's early cross was in swinging toward the back post to Kithambo who was lurking in the danger area, but his first-time volleyed effort flew wide of the target.

Two minutes later, a long kick up field by Girling was poked on by Harry Donovan to Vyse who played an intelligent flick over the Coggeshall defence to release Slater, who was bearing down on goal, until his touch got away from him and rolled comfortably into the keeper's hands.

Tilbury were searching for a winning goal and three very important points when in the 86th minute the Dockers crafted a great move with linkup between sub Kwanbena Yeboah and Salter to cut out the opposition midfield. Salter spread play out wide to feed another substitute, Charlie Heatley. Heatley had time to line up his effort but unfortunately his strike was drilled into the near side netting.

The Seedgrowers thought they had broken Tilbury hearts straight after when dangerman Osude picked up possession on the left wing. The Dockers doubled up on the winger but could do nothing to stop him and he chopped past both defenders back onto his left foot. Osude's shot was low and hard toward the far corner but it crashed against the woodwork.

The Dockers are back in action on April 1st, but there is no fooling about the importance of this fixture, as they welcome fellow strugglers Great Wakering Rovers to Chadfields for a 3pm kick off.