East Thurrock United match report
match report by Rupert Cane
Six goals had been shared between the teams 10 days prior, but on a freezing midweek January evening at King George’s Field Kingstonian nor East Thurrock could find the net, condemning both sides to more points dropped in the push for a play-off place.
For an hour, it felt like there could only be one winner: Kingstonian. Far more assured and capable in possession, it seemed only a matter of time until the deadlock was broken.
Aaron Lamont had a couple of early sighters. Dan Bennett twisted and turned and curled inches wide. A couple of headers from set-pieces were cleared near to or off the line. Lamont saw a shot spilled by Jack Giddens, with Bennett unable to make anything of the loose ball. So, scarcely believably, the teams headed in level at the break.
K’s continued where they left off when play restarted. Sean Clohessy, perhaps K’s brightest attacking outlet just as he had been in Essex earlier in the month, was slipped in but found Giddens in good form. What felt like an army of yellow shirts just about scrambled the loose ball away.
Fabio stung Giddens’ palms with a piledriver from outside the box, and then after more good work from Clohessy the ball landed at Lamont’s feet with Giddens out of position. Surely this was the moment! Alas, no. The faintest of headers diverted the goalbound shot over the crossbar.
In the final third of the game, K’s waned. East Thurrock, have defended for their lives and ridden their luck, grew into the contest and threatened mostly from set-pieces. One corner was headed into the net but happily the referee had blown for a foul on Rob Tolfrey.
Our keeper was called upon to make his first meaningful save of the night in the 90th minute, moving sharply low to his left to touch a shot round the post. It kept his sheet clean, and earned K’s a point that felt like a derisory return.
Kingstonian: Rob Tolfrey, Sean Clohessy, Fabio Saraiva, Simon Cooper, Harry Osborne, Kenny Beaney, Dan Bennett, Gus Sow, Eddie Dsane, Aaron Lamont, Dan Hector.
Subs: Ben Harrison, Calum Davies (for Aaron Lamont, 70m), Jerry Puemo, Tutu Henriques, Sam Oguntayo (for Dan Bennett, 86m).
East Thurrock United: 1 - Jack Giddens, 15 - Jason Ring, 3 - Jordan Brown, 5 - Ryan Scott, 6 - Danny Cossington, 8 - Ben Marlow, 10 - Michael Tweed, 7 - Darren Foxley, 9 - Frankie Merrifield, 14 - Mitchell Gilbey, 18 - Kai Brown.
Subs: 17 - Matthew Price, 2 - Danny Harris (for Kai Brown, 62m), 12 - Ayo Olukoga (for Michael Tweed, 67m), 16 - JJ da Cruz, 4 - Amos Nasha (for Mitchell Gilbey, 81m).
Attendance: 236
