Thurrock won on the south coast for the second consecutive Saturday after a brilliant display that took them through to the First Round Proper of the FA Trophy. Fleet dominated the game and nearly went ahead as early as the third minute when Garry Cross volleyed just over the bar from Steve Harper’s knockdown. The pressure continued to be applied and Harper’s shot from the corner of the box went just over the bar. Harper continued to be the best player on the pitch and had a good shot well saved by Lee Hook in the Boro goal. Just as the half was drawing to a close there were a crazy couple of minutes. An innocuous challenge on Dave Collis incensed the full back so much that he contrived to get two bookings for dissent and thus received a red card. Just as it looked like Thurrock were going to have to go on the defensive they took the lead. An excellent long ball found Steve Harper running through the middle and he drilled past Hook to give Thurrock the lead. Boro went straight up the other end and forced a great save out of Glen Knight in the Thurrock goal. The excitement wasn’t finished there as Harper was sent through again, his first shot was saved by Hook. His second shot produced the best save of the match, unfortunately it was by full back Phil Warner on the goal line. The referee gave the penalty and had no choice but to send Warner off. Lee Hodges stepped up and sent Hook the wrong way to double the lead just before half time.

Thurrock started the second half well and the lead became three after 55 minutes. Hodges’ free kick was headed clear off of the line and Harper nipped in to head into the undefended goal as the Eastbourne defence stood and watched. Thurrock decided to shut the game up and stop Boro from playing at this point. Harper’s back heel sent Hodges away but his shot went just wide. Colin McBride started to ring the changes and the only real chance from then in was when former Celtic youngster Kirk Hudson went clear for Fleet in the last minute. Hook saved again to keep the score respectable.

Man of the Match: Steve Harper.

Thurrock: Knight, Collis, Fletcher, Goodfellow, McFarlane©, Heffer, Cross, Janney (Wallis 84), Hodges (Forbes 78), Goddard, Harper (Hudson 87)