Tilbury vs Waltham Forest (From Thurrock Gazette)

5:09pm

Well Tilbury triumph on an afternoon of non-league football marred by the injury to Concord's Harry Elmes. Sounds like an awful shin break for the Concord forward. Sometimes football and results are secondary.

Thoughts are with Elmes and his Concord team mates from all at the Thurrock Gazette.

Thanks for following again this afternoon!

Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

5:07pm

Results from elsewhere:

Ryman Premier:

East Thurrock United 1 - 0 Lewes

Concord 0 - 0 Thurrock (match abandoned following horrific injury to Harry Elmes. Scroll down for details)

Ryman Div One North:

Ware 1 - 5 Grays Athletic

Ilford 0 - 5 Aveley

Remarkable - potentially season defining - comeback by Maldon, who won 4-3 after being 3-1 down early in the second half!

5:03pm

Good second half here!

Francis excellent and his goal is enough to see Dockers win it.

4:58pm

4:58pm

Teasing ball forces Davies to tip it over the bar with Nightingill looming at the back post.

From the other side, Cutler plays in a similar ball which Dagher flicks onto the far post!!

4:57pm

We're into stoppage time at Chadfields. Tilbury on the front foot. Wraight prepares to take a corner from the right.

4:56pm

Maldon have turned it round at the Wallace Binder!! From 3-1 down, it's now 4-3 to Maldon!

4:55pm

4:55pm

Tilbury survive as Sackey drops a great free kick into the box. Marrable claims at the second attempt.

At the other end, Aiken shoots over.

4:54pm

4:53pm

More good stuff from Tilbury as Jacob breaks down the right, his low cross is straight into the arms of Davies at the near post though.

4:53pm

Tilbury sub:

Tony Jacobs on for the excellent Dan Francis.

Walth Forest sub:

Adrian Retkoceri on for Chris Taylor

4:50pm

Tilbury defence have hardly been worked in this second half, but there's still time for them to nab an equaliser. This is their best spell of the half.

4:47pm

Fantastic ball by Francis puts Aiken through on goal, but Davies saves his low shot with his legs.

4:46pm

4:45pm

Tilbury been frustrated by one or two refereeing decisions this afternoon. His choice to award a goal kick when Dockers fans were convinced the ball had come off a Forest defender is the latest to anger the Tilbury faithful.

4:43pm

Joe Nightingill has just spooned a shot over from six yards. Cutler's corner was sent back across the face of goal, and on the stretch, Nightingill toe poked it over. Unlucky for the Dockers' skipper.

4:40pm

Great run by Francis who's been inspired since the break. His cross from the left is tapped on by Mullings but as the ball spins loose in the box, no Tilbury player is able to attack it.

4:39pm

Free kick in a dangerous area now for Forest, right in the corner of Tilbury's half. Palmer's introduction has certainly injected some life into a weary second half display by the visitors. But Lutaaya's free kick is poor, going over the bar.

4:37pm

Waltham Forest sub now:

Leachman being replaced by Palmer.

Earlier, George Lutaaya replaced Luke Stanley.

4:35pm

They're creating all the chances here as Mullings heads at Davies.

4:35pm

Nice effort by Wraight as he spins and hits a half volley on the edge of the area. Good stuff this though from Tilbury, they've improved markably on their first half performance.

4:33pm

More good pressure by Tilbury but this time Francis fires well wide.

4:31pm

Ball in by Cutler looked like it was going straight in! Over the bar though!

4:30pm

4:29pm

Things a little less eventful here since Tilbury took the lead. They're  much the better side at the moment though and look like they could add to their lead. They should add to their lead!

4:28pm

Maldon and Tiptree now 3-1 down at home to Chatham Town.

4:28pm

4:27pm

4:27pm

4:26pm

Hearing that the Thurrock game has been stopped for the time being due to a serious injury to Elmes. Ben Walster sent off. Will insert tweets of reporter George Thorpe, who is at the game.

4:24pm

4:23pm

4:23pm

Great finish from Francis! And that's his 16th of the season.

After Forest fail to clear a a ball into the box, it lands at Francis' feet, he lashes it across the goal keeper from the edge of the area, into the left of the goal.

Good pressure from Dockers in the build up, too. Wraight had gone close beforehand, shooting across goal.

4:20pm

I've been extremely impressed with the Waltham Forest skipper, and i'm not just saying that because he's a scary character on the pitch! He's worked hard, been assured in possession and organised his team well.

4:17pm

I'm not sure we've ever waited so long for a free kick to be taken. The referee gives Francis and Hallam a talking to for scrapping on the edge of the box as Cutler stands over the free kick.

After all that, Cutler's kick is cleared.

4:16pm

4:15pm

4:14pm

The second half has started much as the first half did: bitty, scrappy and niggly.

Chris Taylor's shot wide on the half volley is the first effort on goal of the half.

4:12pm

4:10pm

The teams are back out then here. Must say, i'm not sure i've been this cold all season! That was the most incredible half time cuppa yet, when I wasn't missing my mouth from shivering so much!!

3:59pm

It will be a top afternoon's work for Grays and Aveley if it stays like this, especially for Grays, with Maldon currently losing to Chatham

3:58pm

Scores from elsewhere then:

In the Ryman Premier:

East Thurrock United 1 - 0 Lewes

Concord Rangers 0 - 0 Thurrock

In Ryman Div One North

Ware 0 - 2 Grays Athletic (Jeff Hammond scoring Blues' second on the cusp of half-time)

Ilford 0 - 2 Aveley

Maldon and Tiptree 1 - 2 Chatham Town

3:54pm

So after 49 minutes of football (where the four minutes of stoppage time came from, I don't know!) it's half time.

Tilbury grew into the game, with Aiken coming closest to opening the scoring, but Waltham Forest had slightly more chances.

A scrappy half, but an intriguing one nonetheless. It's goalless at half time.

3:52pm

They're giving it a good go as nice skill from Cutler sees him fly down the left and cross to the near post. It's well defended, as is the corner that follows.

Mullings then concedes a free kick which will give Forest the chance to clear.

3:50pm

Two corners in quick succession now for Tilbury... can they nick one before half time?

3:50pm

3:49pm

Good spell of pressure and possession now for Dockers. No final ball yet as half time approahces.

Eventually, Francis wriggles through but lashes a shot from 10 yards to the right of goal high and wide.

3:45pm

Great play by Manu Dagher. The Forest winger cut inside the box, evading two or three challenges before shooting over from just inside the box. Much better from both sides in the last 10 minutes.

3:44pm

Maldon are losing 2-1 at home to Chatham. They're behind for the second time in that game. Hope for Grays and Aveley who are chasing Maldon down at the top of the league.

3:42pm

3:41pm

Wow, some very scary voices in the Waltham Forest team as they (aggressively) organise themselves for a Tilbury free kick, which floats harmlessly into Davies' arms.

3:40pm

And right on cue, a superb Tilbury attack lead to Aiken jink past the centre half and sending a great, curling shot from 17 yards onto the cross bar. Much better! Great build up too, with Mullings at the heart of it.

3:39pm

Smart counter attack led by Mead, sees him pick out Francis on the right, but Francis scuffs his cross horribly before gesturing to the ground. Poor.

Only supports my earlier observation that the game lacks quality.

3:37pm

3:36pm

That comes to nothing though. Waltham Forest look vulnerable at the back though. Very hesitant at times, I fancy Dockers to grab a goal if they can sustain some pressure.

3:32pm

Jack Leachman's low shot goes agonisingly wide. Looked to be rolling across the face of the goal in slow motion, after the forward had got in behind the Docker's defence.

Real lack of quality so far though - from both sides.

3:29pm

Ben Cook has been replaced by Daniel Rimmel. Cook came off badly following a high tackle by Stanley.

3:27pm

The game's been very stop start. Lot's of niggly tackles. Not helped by the fact it's freezing!

3:26pm

3:23pm

Docker's skipper Joe Nightingill calling for a little more urgency as the referee talks to Cook and Stanley.

Tilbury definitely need that, particularly in possession.

3:22pm

Almost 20 minutes gone here and Waltham Forest looking the better of the two sides so far. Mullings looking good when Tilbury go forward though!

3:20pm

Fantastic save by Marrable as Leachman dinks the ball over the top of the Dockers defence to Dagher. He gets the ball under but the angle was against him when he shot. Good block by Marrable who was quick off his line.

3:16pm

That's followed by a nice counter attack by Dockers, with Mullings released down the middle, his low shot is blocked before Carlile lays it out to Aiken whose cross is poor.

3:16pm

Free kick for Forest from the left is poor. Very scrappy game so far. Forest have another free kick now and again it's poor failing to beat the first man.

3:13pm

3:12pm

Cutler has just flashed a fierce shot across goal for Dockers. Was a way wide in the end, but good positive stuff from Tilbury after Wraight had run at the back four.

3:11pm

Very bitty start to this game. Both sides struggling to keep the ball. Chris Taylor has had the only meaningful effort on goal so far, a curler from the edge of the area which Marrable gathered.

3:05pm

Elsewhere today then:

Grays are at Ware, Aveley are at Ilford.

In the Ryman Premier League, Thurrock have a tough test away to Concord Rangers and East Thurrock host Lewes at Rookery Hill.

3:02pm

Jack Leachman in the side. Watched him in the Waltham Forest academy a year or so ago. Very decent, young player! One to watch here potentially!

3:01pm

The sides are out now and we're seconds from kick off.

3:01pm

Here are the teams at Chadfields:

Tilbury:

Marrable; Mead, Cook, Gillman, Nightingill; Francis, Carlile, Aiken, Cutler, Wraight, Mullings.

subs: Jacobs, Crooks, Daniel, Edwards

Waltham Forest:

Davies; Danton, Larin, Sackey, Vickers; Hallam, Stanley, Clifton, Dagher; Leachman, Taylor

Subs:

Palmer, Retkoceri, Lutaaya, Mohammad, Waldron

2:57pm

Good afternoon!

Welcome to the Gazette's liv non-league coverage.

I'm at Chadfields this afternoon where Tilbury host Waltham Forest in Ryman Division One North.

I'll be keeping you updated on games featuring the borough's other non-league sides, too!