Goddard challenges in the air

Thurrock slumped to their third home league defeat of the season after a piece of magic by Karl Beckford.

Thurrock started the brighter and Richard Goddard’s header on five minutes drifted just wide after Boniek Forbes’ corner. Thurrock thought they had taken the lead with eleven minutes on the clock when Craig O’Connor drilled past Wilkerson in the Lewes goal from Terry Bowes’ headed pass. O’Connor was, however, clearly offside and the goal was disallowed. Moments later a mistake by Glenn Knight let in Robinson but excellent defending by Richard Goddard made the chance more difficult and he hit the side netting. The goal did come a minutes later though. Leon Legge thundered a header past Knight from a dangerous corner.

Forbes looks to go pass a Lewes Defender

Thurrock equalised ten minutes later when Steve Harper’s cross found O’Connor who slotted home from the edge of the box. Thurrock were fortunate on the half hour when a mistake by captain Jimmy McFarlane let in Robinson who was fouled by Dave Collis, the last man. The referee failed to give the free kick which would have left him deciding whether to send Collis off.  With five minutes left in the half Lewes regained the lead. Jan Sigere got up to head a cross home but only managed to flick it onto the head of Collis and the ball thundered past Knight to make it 2-1. Thurrock tried to bounce back immediately but O’Connor’s shot went over the bar. The lead was nearly doubled on the stroke of half time when a slip by McFarlane let in Sigere but he shot well wide

McFarlane wins a header

The second half had a lot less action than the first and the first chance saw O’Connor equalising from the penalty spot after Bowes was fouled in the box. Lewes sprang straight back into action and Knight held on well to a long range shot. The winning goal came after 62 minutes and was a belter. Beckford bent a free kick into the top corner from fully 30 yards, giving Knight no chance whatsoever. The only real action of the last half hour was a 20 man brawl in the last minutes after a clash between Foweya and Knight.

Man of the match: Craig O’Connor

Knight is beaten from the free kick

Thurrock: Knight, Goodfellow, Collis (Parker 84), Goddard, McFarlane ©, Heffer, Cross, Bowes, Hodges, Harper, O’Connor.