Thurrock left the Camrose with no points as Basingstoke reversed last season’s 3-0 home defeat they suffered at Thurrock’s hands. Thurrock made numerous changes due to the forthcoming playoff game on Tuesday night. Billy McMahon was back in goal for his first game since injuring himself in the warm up before the Margate game on the 29^th January .

Basingstoke started sharply hitting the crossbar through De La Vega after only four minutes. De La Vega’s shot with the outside of his left foot left McMahon helpless as it hit the bar and bounced over. Thurrock started to get back into the game and Simon Martin was unlucky not to score his second league goal of the season when his volley beat Scott Tarr in the Basingstoke goal only to clip the post and go wide. Thurrock were coming into the game more and more and went close on the half hour when Mark Goodfellow’s clever back-heel found Johnny Buffong who shot cleared the bar. Simon Martin was booked for a silly challenge in midfield as both side cancelled each other out .

The first fifteen minutes of the second half continued in the same vain, but the game exploded into action on the hour. A close range header was brilliantly tipped over the bar by McMahon, only for Christian Levis to score from the resulting corner as the Thurrock defence went to sleep. Minutes later McMahon saved well again from David Ray’s pile driver. Basingstoke’s pressure was relentless and Thurrock had McMahon to thank again after another first class save from a point blank range shot. Thurrock seemed to wake up after that with both Lee Hodges and Craig Davidson both going close within a minute of each other. The game was finished with ten minutes to go when Basingstoke substitute Uwa Ogdobo smashed into the top corner from thirty yards. Thurrock were reduced to ten men as injury time approached when Martin received a second yellow card for a petulant push on Tarr and was duly shown the red. Basingstoke made it 3-0 with practically the last attack of the day. McMahon made another save but could only parry the ball to Neville Roach who tapped in for his 22^nd goal of the season.

 Man of the Match: Billy McMahon

 Thurrock: McMahon, Fletcher, Stevens, Davidson, Goodfellow (Parker 79), Goddard ©, Buffong, Shipp, Hodges, Martin, Walsh (Broom 65).