Hashtag United 2, East Thurrock United 1

TWO contentious decisions by the match officials proved the ultimate difference between two well-matched sides at the Len Salmon Stadium on Monday evening.

Both went in favour of the hosts, who recorded their first Isthmian North win of the season while Rocks will be rueful that things didn't go their way and they suffered a successive defeat.

If it's any consolation to the visitors, their spirits remained high right to the end and almost at the death, in a frantic spell of added time, they came close to salvaging a first point.

But it wasn't to be and as they made the short trip home, the away supporters will probably have been cursing the match officials, most particularly referee Jack Williams who looked well off the pace.

East Thurrock made much the brighter start to the game, played out in front of a decent crowd of 423, and in the first five minutes pushed Hashtag right back on the defensive and it seemed inevitable that an opening goal would come - but with talismanic striker Olly Miles largely innocuous, Rocks couldn't force a breakthrough.

Hashtag gradually began to get into the game and, playing the ball close to the artificial pitch and on the break at pace, they began to threaten.

However, neither side had a significant chance worthy of the name until the deadlock was broken in controversial circumstances right on the stroke of half time.

East Thurrock had control of the ball in the middle third but carelessly gave it away and the pacy Toby Aromoloran raced forward past a wrong-footed home defence. Rocks keeper Montel Joseph left his line to race for the ball but Aromolaran nicked it past him and then, totally shamelessly, threw himself to the floor rather than try and score.

Mr Williams bought the con trick hook, line and sinker and even Aromolaran couldn't stop himself from laughing as he picked himself up from the floor.

It wasn't funny for East Thurrock though and Kojo Apenteng smashed home the spot kick.

Perhaps Mr Williams realised his error and in part tried to make up for it by only booking Joseph, when a red seemed unavoidable.

The second half again saw possession shared, with the pace of Hashtag the factor that seemed most likely to separate the sides at the end. So, it was some surprise that the second goal on 53 minutes came from a move from deep when full back Matthew Wooldridge picked up the ball, moved forward and crashed a tremendous shot from distance goalwards.

Joseph barely moved and could only look behind him as the ball ricocheted off the bar and down, bouncing high and provoking an intense goalmouth scramble until Mr Williams spotted his assistant's raised flag, indicating the ball had crossed the line. East Thurrock were incandescent but the goal stood.

Harry Hope is denied by Anthony Page.

There seemed no way back for East Thurrock but to their credit they kept trying and, with 15 minutes to go - moments after home stopper Anthony Page had done swell to scoop Harry Hope's angled shot off the line - a Rocks goal came when Jack McQueen surged forward at a corner to power a header home from close range.

That set up a frantic finish and both sides went for the game's fourth goal, with excitement mounting and chances coming at both ends as the game became stretched.

Tempers also began to flare and in the final 12 minutes Mr Williams doled out five yellow cards to the four he had issued previously.

In the closing moments Dockers thought they had scored but Page pulled off a fine reflex save to parry Amaree Robinson-Jones' close goalbound shot. And the keeper was to the fore in the dying seconds as East Thurrock forced a succession of corners and free kicks but they could not find the equaliser that their second half efforts probably deserved.