Thurrock got through to the last eight of the Essex Senior Cup with a penalty shootout victory of Ryman division one side Wivenhoe Town. Thurrock were by far the better side in the first half and Richard Goddard thundered a header home from eight yards after a pinpoint cross from Boniek Forbes. Garry Cross was pulling all the strings but that was ended with a horrendous foul around knee height that ended up with him going off injured at half time. Ridiculously, the foul only resulted in a booking. In injury time Scott Wallis was sent through, but he only hit the post when he should have scored.

The second half was a different affair with Wivenhoe the stronger side. They scored just after the hour when Hillier’s cross floated over Glenn Knight and went into the far corner of the goal. Wivenhoe continued to press and Knight did well to tip over the bar and Dave Collis cleared a shot off of the line. Ronnie Fletcher should have won the tie in the last minute but he shot wildly over from close range.

Extra time was fairly dull until the last five minutes when Fleet went for the win, Lee Hodges shooting just wide from long range and Richard Goddard heading wide from the penalty spot. The match had gone to the dreaded penalty shootout. The first six penalties were scored, with Hodges, Mark Janney and Steve Harper scoring for Thurrock. Amazingly, the next four penalties were missed, with Glenn Knight making two tremendous. Steve Heffer’s penalty was saved and Mark Goodfellow lifted his penalty over the bar. Knight saved once again in the sudden death and it was left to Fletcher to score to put Thurrock through. He blasted hard and low to send the double holders through.

Man of the Match: Glenn Knight.

Thurrock: Knight, Collis, Goodfellow, McFarlane ©, Fletcher, Forbes (Hodges 76), Heffer, Cross (Harper 45), Janney, Wallis, Goddard