Grays Athletic vs Tilbury (From Thurrock Gazette)

9:45pm

Last minute heartbreak for Rocks at Rookery Hill as Met Police grab a last minute equaliser.

But that's it from me. Thank you very much for following our coverage of tonight's Thurrock derby. Please log on at the weekend!

9:43pm

9:43pm

Defeat leaves Tilbury's play-off chances looking slim but not impossible.

Elsewhere:

9:41pm

What a big, BIG win that is for Grays. Disappointing for Dockers who gave it a really good go and played very well in spells. But Blues ninth win in a row leaves them just three points behind Maldon with three games in hand and Maldon to play!

It's their 12th in three games as well. Unstoppable?

9:38pm

Waters puts a free kick into the box. Aiken gathers before firing over.

9:36pm

Luke Marshall replaces Carlos deep into stoppage time.

9:35pm

Flynn clears from Wraight before Cutler puts it back in and Baker clears.

9:35pm

Great defending from Junior Baker, he gets in front of Aiken to clear.

Good spell of pressure this for Dockers though as the ball comes straight back and the away side win two corners. Both are cleared by Beaney at the near post.

Here comes the third...

9:32pm

Baker comes really close to his hattrick. The ball falls to him in the box, he makes space for himself but can't get any purchase on the shot. Beaney then tries to lob Marrable!

9:31pm

Terrific block from Nightinghill as Sweeny shoots from six yards!

9:28pm

And now Kris Newby is on for Danny Bunce.

Going to be such a big win this for Grays, if they can hold on.

9:27pm

Few subs following the excitement:

Grays Athletic:

Joe Sweeney replaces Jeff Hammond.

Tilbury:

Rimmel Daniel replaces Tony Jacob

Gary Henty is replaced by Daniel Francis

9:25pm

Great free kick into the box by Pope. Hammond turns it at the near post.

9:23pm

GOOOOAAALLL!!! GRAYS ATHLETIC 4 - 2 Tilbury - Hammond, 79'

9:22pm

Jeff Hammond scores for Blues. It's a clever little ball into his path by Carlos. His shot from a tight angle was deflected in!

9:17pm

Terrific save by Marrable!!! Hammond heads the ball goal ward after it bounced around in the area, but somehow Marrable claws it away. Jacob clears!

9:16pm

Waters lashes the ball into the right hand corner. Johnson went the correct way, but that's a top drawer spot kick.

9:15pm

Jack Carlile, who was on an excellent run and perhaps could of shot, was felled by Johnson...

9:14pm

PENALTY!!!!! It's a penalty to Tilbury.

9:12pm

Grays have the ball in the back of the net, but it's disallowed as Carlos fouled Nightinghill on the edge of the box as he stretched to play the ball through to West.

9:07pm

Shot blocked from Carlos. He's come to life in the second half. Since a good first five minutes of the second half, Tilbury haven't been able to get hold of the ball.

9:04pm

Good pressure from Blues. West closes Marrable who scuffs his clearance. More territory for the home side. I feel they may need another if they're going to win this one!

9:02pm

Junior Baker for Blues!!! Bunce plays it in, Joao Carlos gathered the ball at the back post, he made space for himself before a low shot was blocked. It fell kindly to Baker who volley in off the post from six yards!!

Second goal for Junior against his old club.

8:57pm

Great tackle from West! Mead cuts the ball back. It falls to Aiken who then reverses the ball to Henty, but West dives in to block.

The corner comes in. It's half cleared before Wraight hits a half volley wide. It took a deflection though and Johnson is forced to gather a corner.

Good stuff from Tilbury.

8:54pm

Free kick to Dockers. Cutler to swing it in from the right...

8:52pm

Commanding start to thr second half from Grays. Retaining the ball well and winning it back quickly when they lose it.

8:51pm

Great tackle by Conor Mead! He denies Danny Bunce as the ball falls to him as Blues fail to get anything on the ball. Great last ditch tackle.

8:36pm

8:33pm

Jacob twists and turns on the edge of the Blues box before his low shot is blocked. He's looked a danger all half.

8:30pm

Great play by Tom Wraight. He crosses, Aiken just misses it on the edge of the six yard box. But the ball is flicked back in by Mead, may have been a shot, for Jacob to turn it in. No less than Dockers deserve

8:29pm

The third corner is from Beaney. It's from the right. It was high and looping, but came down quickly beating Marrable for Baker to tap in at the back post

8:23pm

Three corners in quick succession for Blues. Dockers deal uneasily with two... here's the third..

8:21pm

That booking for Pope was the right back's tenth of the season. He now faces a two match ban.

8:20pm

Long range effort from Carlos into the roof of the net! Super effort from the winger almost caught Marrable out!!

8:19pm

Then a superb ball by Waters sets Jacob away down the left. He drifts in slightly before shooting early. It almost catches Johnson out, but he saves well at the near post. Holds it too.

Both keepers playing very well here!

8:18pm

Great chance for Beaney!! The ball is half cleared among a pile of bodies in the box. The ball falls to Beaney who hits a low shot, but Marrable's there. Should have done better.

8:16pm

Good ball by Wraight, no one to turn it in though and Aiken is flagged offside.

8:16pm

Nice flick by Sam Cutler to Tom Wraight. Baker then fouls Wraight as he turns away. Free kick in a dangerous position for Tilbury. Crossing opportunity.

8:11pm

Nice from Carlos who shoots just wide from outside the box. He's doing ok Carlos, being afforded a lot of space by Waters. But not quite found his range yet.

8:09pm

Great play from Aiken! He wriggles into the box, holds off Kirby but is surrounded quickly. He gets a shot away but Johnson is quick off his line.

As much of the ball as Grays have seen, Tilbury have looked just as likely as the hosts to score.

8:06pm

Hammond is looking very sharp up front for Grays. Excellent movement.

8:03pm

And as I say that, Tom Wraight picks out Tony Jacob in space, he comes in from the right and attempts to arc a low shot into the bottom corner. Johnson tips it round the post!!

Then excellently gathers the corner, played into his near post.

8:02pm

Low shot from Hammond from 20 yards bounces up, catching Marrable by a surprise. But he gathers in the end. All Grays here!

8:01pm

Sam Cutler passes short and Lalite intercepts. Typically, he gets Blues going straight away, playing the ball wide to Bunce whose cross is long. Carlos then flicks the ball into Pope whose cross is cleared.

7:59pm

A well worked Tilbury free-kick is played to the back post, bit of a scramble but Grays clear. Better from the visitors who have been a little up against it after a decent first couple of minutes.

7:57pm

Jeff Hammond picks the ball up on the left of the Tilbury box, he darts inside before striking just wide.

7:55pm

Some respite for Tilbury as they break away, but Wraight can't keep the ball from Johnson.

7:55pm

Bunce hits it low, left footed into Marrable's arms.

7:54pm

All Grays now as Pope and Lalite combine to cross. The ball falls to Beaney on the edge of the box but he's fouled.

About 23 yards out...

7:52pm

Now they're starting to impose themselves, Blues. Seeing much more of the ball in Dockers half. Short of a final ball on this occasion as a cross from the left goes over Carlos' head.

7:50pm

Aiken bursts into the box but Johnson gathers at his feet. His long kick up the park falls to the feet of Carlos who is through on goal, he goes a little wide before shooting over!

7:47pm

Started the game a little nervously here Blues. Another free kick to Dockers in the middle of the Grays half, this time Flynn heads clear.

7:46pm

Sam Cutler whips the ball into the box from the free kick. Headed behind by Beaney. Johnson gathers the corner.

7:44pm

I shall endeavour to keep you updated on the game at Rookery Hill bewteen East Thurrock United and Met Police.

7:39pm

The teams then:

Grays Athletic:

Johnson; Pope, Baker, Kirby, Flynn; Carlos, Bunce, Lalite, Beaney; Hammond, West.

Subs: Subuola, Sweeney, East, Marshall, Newby

Tilbury:

Marrable; Mead, Waters, Gilman, Nightinghill; Henty, Jacobs, Carlile, Wraight; Aiken, Cutler.

Subs: Rimmel, Edwards, Francis, Crooks, Blackman.

7:35pm

A little bit of intrigue in the run up. And no, it doesn't involve Kris Newby!! Or Grays for that matter.

Gary Henty, who left Dockers in January and signed for Tilbury, is back! He signed at 2pm today and starts for Paul Vaughan's men.

7:33pm

Good evening and welcome to the Thurrock Gazette's live coverage of this old Thurrock derby.

I may be a tad biased, but this is still the best derby in Essex.

It's also the first time it's been played outside of the borough.

The team news is to follow...