Thurrock won a tough game to get back on track after the poor defeat at Weston. Fleet looked like a different team, with outstanding displays all over the pitch to beat an in-form Stortford side.

Stortford started quickly and dominated the first twenty minutes and were twice unlucky not to take the lead, firstly through a long range effort and secondly through a shot horribly missed from only five yards out. Thurrock started to get back into the game, and scored a great goal to take the lead after 35 minutes. Dave Collis played a lovely ball to Glenn Poole, whose pinpoint cross found Adam Parker. Parker’s chest back found Steve Heffer who drilled a volley into the bottom corner from 25 yards Heffer’s 100^th game for Thurrock gave him only his second goal. Very few chances were created for the rest of the half and Fleet would have been delighted with the half time lead.

Thurrock spent most of the second half on the defensive with Jimmy McFarlane and John Purdie immense and winning every header. This was amazing considering that only two days earlier captain McFarlane had dislocated his shoulder at Weston. Stortford were restricted to long range efforts, with Heffer covering every blade of grass. The best chance of the half still fell to Poole when he volleyed over from Lee Hodges’ pinpoint cross.

All in all a superb all-round performance and one that gets the playoffs back of track.

 Man of the Match: Steve Heffer

 Thurrock: Woodman, Collis, Fletcher, Purdie, McFarlane ©, Heffer, Shipp, Hodges (Buffong), Poole, Parker, Kandol (Martin 65)