Brimsdown 3, East Thurrock Community FC 4

ROCKS twice recovered from a two goal deficit and went on to win a dramatic Thurlow Nunn Eastern Counties South Division clash at Aveley's Parkside ground on Wednesday (7 October) evening - moving into third place as a result.

The hosts are rock bottom of the table, without a point to their name, but you wouldn't have known that as they went into a two goal lead inside 22 minutes.

East Thurrock had made a promising start with chances missed by Bobby Reeman and Reiss Lowe but Brimsdown opened the scoring with a well-taken effort on 19 minutes and added a second three minutes later.

Things could have been worse as Brimsdown were denied a third by a scramble clearance off the line and then struck the bar in added time at the end of the first half. In between Tommy Barnacle was unlucky to be denied by a fine save from the home keeper.

Rocks made three changes at the break with Dylan Sanham, Lewis Rowe and Harry Salter replacing Marcus Adebayo-Bella, Fortune Motobaluti and Joe Callender but it seemed the momentum was still with the home side when Brimsdown had the ball in the net six minutes after the restart, only to see it ruled out for offside.

Rocks finally found the net on 56 minutes when Lowe scored but just four minutes later the gap became two again after Brimsdown converted a well-struck free kick.

The visitors were still up to the challenge though and Barnacle fired over. Harry Prince found the side netting and Lowe was denied when his long range effort was tipped over the bar by the keeper.

With just ten minutes left a Barnacle goal gave Rocks a lifeline and just three minutes later they hauled themselves level with another Barnacle strike after he received a fine through ball and converted stylishly.

If that gave Rocks' travelling supporters something to smile about, they were jumping for joy three minutes into added time when Prince delivered a fine cross to the far post and Barnacle was on hand to complete his hat-trick and give Rocks a fourth successive league win.

Rocks are back in action at home on Saturday when they play host to Southend Manor.