East Thurrock United vs Margate (From Thurrock Gazette)

9:51pm

And Thamesmead beat Aveley 4-3 on penalties!

9:50pm

Waltham Abbey defeat Tilbury on penalties, 5-3 knocking Dockers out of the Essex cup.

9:50pm

Grays Athletic win 5-4 at Maldon in the Essex County Cup!

9:49pm

THURROCK win 6-5 against Waltham Forest! Quarter finals of the League Cup for them!

9:47pm

All of the borough's cup games have gone to penalties!

Here'show they finished:

Thamesmead Town 2 - 2 Aveley

Maldon and Tiptree 1 - 1 Grays Athletic

Tilbury 3 - 3 Waltham Abbey

Thurrock 1 - 1 Waltham Forest

9:31pm

Great defending by Gilbey, getting back to block Rook's cross.

The corner comes in, Gilbey scoops it up forcing Justham to punch clear. The ball lands at the feet of a Margate player who prods the ball straight at Justham. Should have scored! Margate's best chance of the half.

9:28pm

Big header from Araba goes just wide. The ball in from Newby didn't do him many favours. I think East Thurrock will be very disappointed if they don't win this!

9:23pm

Ryan Dolby comes on for Margate. He replaces Tommy Murphy

9:21pm

9:20pm

Hakeem Araba, who has been frustrating to watch this evening, goes very close with a great effort after cutting inside with the ball. His shot goes across goal and just wide.

9:19pm

9:15pm

Kye Ruel on for Rocks. He replaces Dean Mason

9:14pm

9:14pm

9:14pm

9:13pm

Lovely exchange of passes between Collins and Newby in the box leads to Newby lashing a fierce drive at goal which forces a good save out of Holloway at his near post.

All Rocks at the moment. They need to make this pressure tell.

9:08pm

Carl Rook on for Margate. The away officials have been calling for him, and here he is. He replaces Matt Bodkin.

9:06pm

Off the bar!! Great effort from Newby. He intercepted a pass out from the back. Exchanged passes cleverly with Collins before running diagonally at goal. He then tried a cheeky chip from 18 yards, which cannoned off the top of the bar.

9:04pm

Araba again failing in his role as a striker that everyone can play off. He gets the ball under, but his lay off to Sammons goes straight out of play.

9:03pm

9:02pm

Great pressure from Rocks, with Gilbey the linchpin. A Collins cross is headed goalbound by Newby forcing Holloway to punch clear. He was under pressure from Araba.

8:57pm

Peddie slips as the ball comes over the top, allowing Murphy to break through. Peddie recovers though to slide in and clear the ball away.

8:52pm

Good start to the half for the hosts. The're getting forward well.

They have another crossing opportunity now. Free kick from the left.

Super ball from Newby, Araba climbs but can't connect, but it almost flashes in anyway. Goal kick though.

8:49pm

Early free kick for Rocks, Newby takes from the right, but it's cleared.

8:37pm

Scores from elsewhere:

Essex County Cup:

Maldon and Tiptree 0 - 0 Grays Athletic

Tilbury 3 - 2 Waltham Abbey

Ryman League Cup:

Thurrock 1 - 1 Waltham Forest

Aveley 0 - 0 Thamesmead Town

8:32pm

Whitnell shoots just wide from 25 yards after skipping away from Gilbey.

8:30pm

Let off for Rocks as Collins gives the ball away cheaply in the middle. Gate launch an attack and Murphy looks to play in Whitnell, but comes close to scoring himself with a pacey pass.

8:28pm

146 here tonight. Good turnout for a cold Tuesday night. Many of those here are Margate. Credit to them!

8:27pm

8:24pm

Araba does well, beating his man down the right before playing the ball across. Collins lunges at it, but can't get enough on it to trouble Holloway.

8:23pm

8:21pm

8:20pm

At the other end, more patient build up eventually offers Mason a chance to shoot from 25 yards. Holloway gets down to his left to save and gather.

8:18pm

Tommy Murphy then shoots over for Gate as they carve a 3 v 2 opportunity. He had more time than he thought but lashed at the ball as it ran onto his right foor.

8:17pm

Corner for Rocks. Another poor cross from Mason, but Newby wins the corner.

Gilbey's cross in is low, Collins shot and the cries rang out for a penalty. No, says the referee.

8:15pm

Both sides have been very wasteful so far. The pitch is playing its part, with players struggling for grip, but the passing is erratic, runs aren't being timed well and crosses are a little aimless. Nothing to choose between the two so far.

8:11pm

Bodkin breaks into the box, but his touch is heavy and the ball runs into Justham's arms. East Thurrock committing a little more now and Margate are looking good on the counter attack.

8:08pm

He shoots straight into the wall and then over hits a cross.

8:07pm

Free kick in a very dangerous place now. Definitely worth a crack from here.. Newby ordered by Covo to leave it to Burgess...

8:05pm

8:04pm

Newby wins a header, which Araba controls well. But he then opts to shoot from 35 yards, it cannons off a defende before from 40 yards out, Burgess half volleys high and wide.

8:02pm

After a good start, Margate are second best now. As Collins over plays a free kick from the right. Seeing much more of the ball now though, Rocks.

8:01pm

7:59pm

Better from Rocks, but Araba, not for the first time fails to control with the intention of playing people in around him. Lacking a good touch at the moment.

7:57pm

Great run by Bodkin straight through the heart of Rocks midfield,Stubbs slips as the ball is passed into him, Whitnell collects but shoots into Justham's arms.

7:55pm

Margate have started the game very well. They're playing at a high tempo and Rocks are on the back foot at the moment. Holding out though.

7:53pm

Chance for Margate! Harrison Spencer clears the ball onto Tommy Whitnell who fortuitously ends up with the ball at his feet. He makes down the right and crosses. Bodkin slips, recovers, collects and lashes the ball over from 18 yards.

7:50pm

Free kick in a dangerous, crossing position now for Rocks. Gilbey over it, to cross from the left, but it's headed clear.

7:48pm

Very early chance for Araba as he's released down the right, but he shoots wide.

7:46pm

Players are out. Margate are dressed as QPR. East Thurrock in their traditional gold with black shorts, black socks.

NB. Margate are not actually dressed as QPR. They have their own kit. It just looks identical to QPR's.

7:41pm

We're about set here. Just waiting for the players to come out.

7:39pm

Higgins misses out for Rocks tonight. He's done his hamstring and is likely to be out until after Christmas.

But it's a first start for Liam Burgess.

7:38pm

All of Thurrock's non-league sides are in action tonight. I'll bring you updates from:

Thamesmead Town vs Aveley and Thurrock vs Waltham Forest in the Ryman League Cup

and

Maldon and Tiptree vs Grays Athletic and Waltham Abbey vs Tilbury.

7:30pm

Here are the teams then:

East Thurrock United

Justham; Sammons, Stephen, Peddie, Harrison; Collins, Newby, Gilbey, Mason; Burgess, Araba.

Subs: Parmenter, Ruel, Pooley, Smith, Wray

Margate

Holloway; Starkey, Pooley, Avery, Beales; Ball, Bodkin, Corneille, Stubbs; Murphy, Whitnell

Subs: Rook, Dolby, Alake, Scarborough, Rhodes.

7:27pm

Margate will go top tonight if they can beat Covo's men. It's been a real mixed bag in the league for Rocks so far.

They sit 13th in the Ryman Premier, but have one only three games of 13 played. But a win tonight will move them into 11th, above Saturday's opponents Lewes and Met Police.

7:21pm

Good evening!

So this week's Thurrock Gazette has gone to press and will be out from tomorrow onwards.

But that doesn't stop us enjoying some non-league action tonight. Thank you for joining me. I'm at Rookery Hill for this Ryman Premier League clash.

It's East Thurrock United vs Margate.