Thurrock got their pre-season to a good start with a win against League 2 side Leyton Orient. The starting Thurrock side saw Gary Cross and Steve Harper make their first appearances for Thurrock with the many established names. Pre-season got off to an amazing start when Kris Lee latched onto a through ball from Steve Heffer and he lashed the ball into the top left hand corner of the goal with his supposedly weaker right foot with just six minutes on the clock. The rest of the first half was mainly played out in midfield but for the two good saves Billy McMahon made low down from close range and some good touches from Harper.

The second half saw many changes with Boniek Forbes and Craig O’Connor making their first Fleet appearances and Glenn Knight and Terry Bowes making their first showings on their return. If Thurrock’s start to the first half was good, then Orient’s second half start was amazing. An equaliser came only 26 seconds into the half from a close range deflected shot. Craig O’Connor then stole the show. He was unlucky a minute after the goal to be denied a penalty after shaking off the defence only to be pulled down by the last defender. He was not to be denied and four minutes into his debut scored. A weak punch by the Orient keeper fell to Adam Parker who headed goalwards and O’Conner then cleverly improvised by flicking the ball pass the stranded goalkeeper. Although there was a hint of offside it was fair reward after the penalty appeal. Within ten minutes of his debut O'Conner had scored a second. A tremendous slide-rule pass by Forbes found O’Connor and he stayed composed to slot home. On the hour Thurrock captain Jimmy McFarlane almost scored a trademark header from Glenn Poole’s pinpoint free kick. The inevitable substitutions took the steam out of the rest of the match as Thurrock ran out comfortable winners after an impressive display.

Man of the Match: Craig O’Connor

Thurrock: McMahon (Knight 45), Goodfellow (Fletcher 69), Davidson (Goddard 45), Stevens (Bowes 45), McFarlane©, Poole, Heffer, Cross (Broom 75), Harper (Parker 45), Lee (O’Conner 45), Hodges (Forbes 45)