Thurrock came back from a goal down after 40 seconds to beat top 3 side St. Albans. Saints started amazingly quickly and led when Seeby and Roddis combined to feed Cracknell to drill home from 20 yards past Glenn Knight. Fleet responded well and equalised ten minutes later when Richard Goddard’s through ball was knocked over the onrushing Paul Bastock by Steve Harper from 20 yards. Harper took a clattering for his troubles but bounced straight back up. Craig O’Connor had a goal very harshly disallowed for offside and Goddard missed a sitter from close range.

Thurrock came out for the second half all guns blazing and Mark Goodfellow’s pinpoint cross was headed back over Bastock by Harper for his first Thurrock double. Harper was on fire and moments later sent O’Connor clear but his shot was well saved by Bastock. Martin Carthy then had a chance to score his first goal for the club since his return but Bastock made another outstanding save. The game is never safe with a one goal lead and Saints had the ball in the back of the net again through Cracknell, only for the linesman’s flag to deny him. Cracknell then missed from a yard out with Knight beaten and Thurrock seemed to have the game won. However, in injury time the league’s leading goalscorer, Lee Clarke beat Jon Purdie and Jimmy McFarlane only for Steve Heffer to make a last ditch win saving tackle as the Saints fans called for a penalty

Man of the Match: Steve Harper

Thurrock: Knight, Collis, Goodfellow, Goddard, McFarlane, Purdie, Hodges, Heffer, Carthy, Harper, O’Connor.