Thurrock continued their excellent recent form with an excellent win against struggling County. Thurrock were quick out of the blocks and put pressure on the County defence from the off. However, Fleet were hit with a sucker punch after County’s first attack. The ball fell to O’Sullivan who smashed a volley home from 15 yards. It was hit with such power that Glenn Knight didn’t even move! Thurrock didn’t let it bother them and continued to dominate with Steve Heffer and Garry Cross clearly winning the central midfield despite the best roughing up tactics of the County midfield. That domination led to a mistake in the defence and County keeper Letheren picking up a back pass. Lee Hodges laid the free kick off to Steve Harper who smashed the ball into the top corner for the equaliser and his tenth Thurrock goal. Thurrock continued to play the better football and Hodges was unlucky with a 30 yard free kick that came back off the post with Letheren well beaten. Minutes later Harper nearly scored a second but saw his shot go just wide of the post. On the half hour County hit the bar with Knight beaten in what seemed to be only their second foray into Fleet territory. The move of the match came as the half was coming to an end when the excellent Cross shot just wide after Hodges had nodded down Harper’s cross.

Fleet came out for the second half with the same drive with Harper and Cross linking with a one-two before Cross’ shot was tipped around the post. From the ensuing corner Richard Goddard had a header cleared of the line. The domination continued as Ronnie Fletcher had a header brilliantly saved by Letheren. The moment that changed the game was the decision of Colin McBride to replace Mark Janney with Martin Carthy. Within three minutes Fleet had taken the lead. Harper’s flick on from Cross’ cross left Carthy with the simplest of tasks to score from less than a yard, although the run from deep to get into position was vintage Carthy. Unfortunately the lead lasted less than a minute as straight from the kick off Cortez Belle smashed an equaliser from twenty yards, giving Knight no chance. Thurrock are made of stern stuff these days and went straight back on the attack with a long ball finding Harper who used his strength to muscle out the centre half before heading over the stranded Letheren from 15 yards. A fourth looked likely and Cross went close from 20 yards although County then went up the other end and were denied a penalty after a challenge in the box. With almost the last kick of the game Carthy added a second after Harper’s through ball. It was Carthy’s 60^th goal for Thurrock.

Man of the Match: Gary Cross

Thurrock: Knight, Fletcher, Goodfellow, Purdie, McFarlane ©, Janney (Carthy 78), Hodges, Heffer, Cross, Harper, Goddard.