Billy McMahon was the saviour as Thurrock rescued a point away to Bishops Stortford. Stortford went on the attack from the off with McMahon making two outstanding saves in the first five minutes. The first came from a far post header which was tipped wide and the second was a well placed shot, again tipped wide. Ryan Kirby made himself big to block from a shot at the next corner as Stortford tried to catch Thurrock cold. Fleet were not going to let the home side have everything their own way and went straight on the attack. Johnny Buffong’s pinpoint cross found Kandol, whose header was tipped wide by the home stopper, Andrew Young. The resulting corner was headed away well, but only found Buffong, who lashed in a 25 yard volley which Young’s outstretched finger diverted over the bar. All this action had occurred in the first five minutes but after this the match settled down. The remaining forty minutes of the half were only noteworthy for three horrendous fouls by Stortford full back Ben Lewis, all of which went unpunished by the referee.

The second half matched the last forty minutes of the previous with few chances of note coming for either side. The only moment of real goal scoring action came when a Stortford striker found himself in acres of space inside the box and fired goalwards. McMahon’s fingertips pushed the ball around the post in what was one of this season’s best saves seen in a Thurrock match.

Man of the Match: Billy McMahon

 Thurrock: McMahon, Collis, Purdie, Goddard, McFarlane©, Heffer, Kirby, Buffong, Akurang, Kandol, Lee (Martin)