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Hats off to Heybridge
Thurrock did well to earn a draw against a combatative Heybridge Swifts side in an evenly contested friendly that saw former Thurrock winger Cliff Akurang line up for the home side. Heybridge were quick out of the blocks and scored with barely a minute on the clock when former Dagenham forward Tony Boot lashed a right footed volley past Glenn Knight in the Thurrock goal. Thurrock nearly scored an equaliser after eleven minutes, when Paul Nicholls spread himself well to deny Kris Lee from equaliser after his close range shot. Thurrock continued to press and Boniek Forbes did well, only to see his shot blocked by a lunging defender. The pressure kept on mounting on the Swifts defence which held out well until Lee’s outrageous flick found Steve Harper, who headed over the advancing Nicholls, only to see a defender chasing back hook the ball off of the line. The second half saw Billy McMahon replace Knight in the Thurrock goal and Thurrock carried on in the same fashion as they finished the first with Harper unlucky again to see his shot beaten away. The game quietened down after that, with Heybridge’s long ball game being easily dealt with by the dominant Steve Heffer and Richard Goddard in central defence. Forbes, Bowes and Carthy were excellent in the midfield with Forbes regularly beating his marker and trying to play the killer through ball but only marginally failing. Swifts then came extremely close to doubling their lead when McMahon saved brilliantly from Abbott and then Boot from the rebound. Thurrock went up the other end and equalised. Lee Hodges showed his class as he beat two and lashed a right footed shot into the bottom corner from 20 yards. The last ten minutes were dominated by Fleet as O’Connor hit the bar, Carthy’s header went just wide from Dave Collis’ pinpoint cross and Bowes shooting straight at Nicholls. Thurrock: Knight, Collis, Goodfellow, Heffer, Goddard, Forbes, Carthy, Bowes, Hodges, Harper, Lee Subs - McMahon, O'Connor, Lawrence
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