White Notley 0, East Thurrock Community FC 1

WITH no room for error, a single goal was enough to give East Thurrock a vital win to keep their hopes of the Essex and Suffolk Border league title alive.

Victory leaves Rocks in second spot, a point behind leaders Thorpe Athetic, with both sides having four matches left. Also in congtention are Great Bentley who sit two points behind East Thurrock but they have five still to play.

Saturday's (4 April) match at White Notley was a tight contest, eventually decided by a second-half set-piece when Harry Daly's corner caused enough chaos for the ball to end up in the home net.

East Thurrock started brightly and thought they had the perfect opening after four minutes when one of the White Notley players turned the ball into his own net, only for the offside flag to cut short celebrations, allegedly because of interference from the attacking player. Rocks continued to look the more cohesive side in possession, with Daly and Lewis Rowe combining well down the right and a throw-in routine creating danger in the final third, but White Notley grew into the half and fashioned their first clear opening after a defensive slip—only for Tommy Bruley to gather comfortably.

Bruley then turned provider with an excellent delivery into Freddie Barrett's feet; Barrett took a tidy first touch, shifted away from his marker and curled an effort that the home keeper was able to smother. Zac Bussell's willingness to press and pounce on loose balls drew a late challenge and a booking for the hosts, while Rowe was later forced to receive treatment in a brief stoppage, after taking a ball directly to the side of the head from close range. 

East Thurrock finished the half with another promising moment as Barrett beat his man in the box and picked out Bussell, whose volley flew over the bar.

The sides went in all square at half-time, but it was the visitors that were most definitely in the ascendency. 

The second half began, following the same pattern as the first, with Rocks controlling possession, but not quite having that cutting edge in the final third. The visitors freshened things up on 54 minutes when Tommy Barnacle replaced Bailey Morris, and the change helped inject extra energy into the press.

The breakthrough looked imminent moments later when Kieron Miles robbed a defender and Bobby Reeman crashed the loose ball against the crossbar. 

The Rocks didn't have to wait much longer though: a corner from Daly swung into the danger area, the home goalkeeper came to punch but mistimed his attempt, and the ball spun off his glove and into the net to give East Thurrock a deserved lead, sending the healthy showing of visiting fans into raptures.

With 25 minutes left, the Rocks managed the game intelligently, making a double change on 65 minutes when Kelly Nwaehi and Harry Prince came on for Harry Salter and Kieron Miles. Further late substitutions followed on 80 minutes, with Faith Segemani and Joey Purdy replacing Daly and Barrett as the visitors looked to see the match out.

White Notley pushed in the closing stages, but East Thurrock stood firm to protect their advantage and close out a hard-earned clean sheet. 

Rocks are next in action on Saturday, 11 April when they travel to Gas Recreation.