THURROCK LOSE TO TEN MAN POPPIES

          A poor display by a Thurrock side missing key players led to a loss against a Kettering side that deserved it’s victory.

          Thurrock started fairly brightly with Terry Bowes unlucky not to score after good work by Kris Lee. After a quarter of the game Cliff Akurang gave Thurrock the lead. Bowes laid the ball back to Collis whose cross was headed in by Cliffy from 8 yards. Kettering went straight up the other end and Lynch shot wide when well placed. A minute later the impressive Lee Allen was unlucky not to double Thurrock’s lead. He turned the full back inside and out and shot from the edge of the box only to see the shot come back off the inside of the post.

          Kettering then began to put pressure on Thurrock. Martyn Lawrence was performing well at right back and Akurang headed behind for a corner when the deepest player on the pitch bar Gothard. Dave Collis was then very unlucky not to score direct from a corner but the keeper managed to tip over the bar. After 38 minutes Kettering had a goal disallowed. A free kick was lumped into the box and in the ensuing melee the ball went past Gothard into the goal. However, to much disappointment to the fans in red, the referee’s assistant had raised his flag. Less than five minutes later Kettering got a deserved equaliser. A cross was headed in by Darren Lynch and although Jimmy McFarlane headed over from close range a minute later Thurrock were a lot more thankful to hear the half time whistle.

          In the first minute of the second half a cross from Akurang led to Kris Lee scuffing his shot wide. The next twenty minutes saw nothing exciting happen until Cliff Akurang ran half the length of the pitch, the defenders not able to tackle him, and laid the ball to Lee who shot wide. On 73 minutes there was controversy as McCafferty was sent off for two bookings, pulling down Lee who was about to go clear. The Kettering players were upset with the decision as they felt that one of their players had been fouled in the build up. This only inspired Kettering and led to Thurrock switching off. Although Kettering didn’t have many chances to win the game they heaped pressure on through many corners and by putting the ball over Collis’ head and getting behind him. The pressure told with a minute to go, when a corner wasn’t properly cleared and a long shot from Cavill was turned in by Rob Gould.

Man of the match: Lee Allen

          Thurrock: Gothard, Lawrence, Collis, Purdie, McFarlane (Capt.), Bowes (Linger 65), Howard, Allen, Akurang, Martin (Kandol 69), Lee.