East Thurrock United vs Hendon (From Thurrock Gazette)

4:55pm

4:55pm

4:52pm

Two minutes stoppage time here.

4:51pm

Game petering out here. Looks like East Thurrock have the game in the bag as they just about deal with a Hendon corner - Wray collects.

4:49pm

4:49pm

East Thurrock sub: Kris Newby off, Matt Hall on.

4:48pm

Another good passage of play from Rocks but not for the first time, they struggle pick out the final ball.

4:47pm

4:44pm

Dean Cracknell shoots wide from 20 yards. That's the closest Hendon have come in this second half.

4:43pm

Smart counter attack by ETU, but Araba, though strong, can't carve himself an opportunity from Ruel's ball in.

Could be a re-occuring pattern now though: Hendon committing to attack in search of a goal and ETU springing on the counter attack.

4:42pm

East Thurrock re-asserting themselves now.

They've had a free kick in a dangerous area which eventually went behind for a corner, and Newbys corner was very nearly met by Sheehan.

Good spell from Rocks.

4:38pm

Hendon sub: Jack Mazzone on for Greg Ngoyi

4:37pm

Ah, handbags. It's been coming. A foul was coming after referee again allowed play to go on for as long as he could.

A free kick in the middle of the pitch is given to East Thurrock in the end and a melee ensues. Gilbey and Ruel at the heart of it.

The squabble continues after the free kick is taken and Gilbey's warned by the referee.

Now some football, please?

4:32pm

4:30pm

The goal ETU deserve, the goal Higgins deserves.

It's a long ball from the back by Simon Peddie, it's taken down by Higgins and he bears down on goal. His first effort is saved but he pounces on the rebound and tucks the ball away.

That could be that. Hendon have been very toothless up to this point and there's no sign of that changing.

4:27pm

Game boiling over a little here. Some great refereeing sees the play continue. But Newby is booked moments later for going in to a slide tackle - I think it was perceived as being over the top of the ball.

4:25pm

Yellow card for Hendon's Dean Cracknell as he smashes the ball away after ref gives a free kick for late tackle on Newby.

4:21pm

4:20pm

Higgins with another great chance. Lovely ball in from Ruel on the left, Higgins climbs highest but his header is wide of the far post.

4:19pm

4:18pm

4:17pm

Araba hits the bar! Great endeavour from the Rocks striker who works some space for himself inside the box. His effort from 12 yards clatters off the bar.

A good touch from Gilbey then sees him make space to shoot low at Laurencin.

Should/could be two 2-0. Rocks knocking at the door!

4:15pm

Neither side able to find a final ball at the moment. Parementier's through ball is aimless and moments later, Charles fails to take control of a ball from the Hendon midfield.

4:12pm

Not sure what happened there.

Great cross in from the right by Newby and Higgins header at the far post looked a certain goal, but it looks to have bounced off of Laurencin and stayed out.

Laurencin is now clutching his mid-riff. Looks like it hit him in his gentleman's part and bounced out. Actually a great save. Could be vital!

4:09pm

Elliot is on upfront for Hendon and Hall slots in at centre half. Two straight subs, it appears.

4:08pm

4:08pm

4:08pm

Couple of half-time changes for Hendon:

Charles Elliot is on Michael Murray and Howard Hall is on for Wayne Walters

3:58pm

Half time scores:

Ryman Premier League:

East Thurrock 1 - 0 Hendon

Whitehawk 1 - 1 Thurrock

FA Trophy:

Grays Athletic 2 - 1 Aylesbury

Royston Town 1 - 1 Aveley

Chertsey Town 3 - 0 Tilbury

3:54pm

Good half!

Hendon had very early chance to take the lead, which Richard Wray saved excellently from close range.

East Thurrock then had lots of the ball but made few chances.

Then it was Hakeem Araba who glanced home a Tom Stephen cross to give East Thurrock the lead. From then on, Rocks' created chance after chance but couldn't capitalise. Still, they lead at half-time and are on course for their first league win of the season.

3:48pm

Gilbey's work rate is phenomenal. He's everywhere, flying into tackles, getting the game moving. Great stuff from the Rocks' skipper.

3:46pm

3:46pm

ETU getting plenty of chances now, they're just not taking them.

As Higgins hits a low effort into Laurencin's arms from just outside the box.

3:45pm

Late challenge by Shulton on Parmenter just down on the left hand touchline. Newby is going to deliver.

It's a great ball into Higgins who heads it down to Ruel who has only the keeper to beat, but his effort is tame and straight at Laurencin.

3:43pm

Great football all-round. It's magnificent hit by Higgins and a superb save by Laurencin who leaps to his left to fist the ball over.

The resulting corner is headed just over by Higgins.

3:42pm

Free kick in a dangerous area for Rocks as Higgins is impeded as he strikes for goal.

It looks like it will be the ETU striker who takes this... 25 yards out, just off centre of goal

3:40pm

3:39pm

So the dead lock is broken at Rookery Hill. A deserved goal for Rocks. Had the impression that if Araba got the service he'd score today.

Hendon have done ok since, but they, more so than ETU, seem to lack potency in attacking areas.

3:37pm

3:36pm

3:35pm

"He's back" says the announcer. And he's marked it with a goal. He's looked dangerous and caused problems. But it's a terrific ball from Stephen from the left and glance in at the near post by the big centre forward.

3:33pm

Free kick from Gilbey doesn't beat the first man. Rocks have a corner now.Stephen takes, Hendon keeper drops but the ball's cleared away.

3:32pm

3:31pm

ETU having a lot of the ball but not doing a lot with it. Certainly not created enough chances from midfield so far.

3:28pm

Good spell from Hendon, knocking it around, but the ETU midfield are hassling and Greens are eventually forced to play a long ball which comes to nothing.

3:24pm

Parmenter has a shot from 25 yards deflected wide but Gilbey's corner is headed away for a throw at the near post.

3:23pm

3:23pm

Araba should have scored. He battled excellently to win the ball back on the edge of the Hendon area, finds Ruel whose ball back to him just needs to be put either side of the keeper, but it's straight at Laurencin who smothers.

3:22pm

3:21pm

Hendon haven't had the ball in the ETU half for a good while now. Gilbey is looking to get the ball forward at every opportunity and Araba is unsettling the Hendon centre halves. Could be an omen for Higgins if Wharton and Walters become too occupied with Araba.

3:16pm

ETU just starting to impose themselves now. Gilbey has just swung in a great freekick, punched clear by Laurencin and Sheehan has just had a rasping 40 yard shot tipped over the bar.

The resulting corner into the near post is headed behind for another corner

3:15pm

I can't find a tweet for this, but Tilbury are already 2-0 down at Chertsey Town in the FA Trophy.

3:12pm

3:11pm

Game's a little scrappy early on. Both sides struggling to find their rhythm. Gilbey and Parmenter working hard and effectively in the middle for ETU though.

3:08pm

And then Higgins at the other ends turns and hits a half-volley from eight yards, it takes an almighty deflection but bounces wide.

Two good chances early on, one for each side. Still goal-less though.

3:07pm

Cracking save from Wray very early on. Greg NGoyi seemed surprised that Casey Maclarens low cross from the right found him. He stuck a foot out though and from two yards, Wray managed to block it.

Not too sure how it's 0-0.

3:05pm

So first cross of the game comes from the left peg of Tom Stephen but it's poor. ETU will definitely be looking to utilise the height of Araba.

3:02pm

Teams are out then. A slight delay to kick-off but we're moments from the start now.

It's a glorious day in Essex. Not too hot but not cold with lots of sun!

3:00pm

A little background on East Thurrock's new signing Hakeem Araba.

He played for ETU during their victorious Ryman North campaign two years ago. He's been around a bit; playing at Peterborough then Dagenham, before injuring a cruciate ligament.

He then spent some time at Redbridge and Billericay before joining ETU. He went to Bromley last year and was leading goalscorer with 17.

Now he's back. Rocks will be looking to him to add a little potency to their attack. East Thurrock have only 4 goals in 5 Ryman Prem games so far this season. That's 0.8 goals per game, in case you care for stats!

2:49pm

Team news then:

New signings Ross Parmenter and Hakeen Araba - Hakeem signed from Bromley yesterday - start for Rocks.

East Thurrock:

Wray; Sammons, Peddie, Sheehan, Stephen; Newby, Gilbey, Parmenter, Ruel; Higgins, Araba.

Subs: Keith, Gorbell, Hall, Collins, Riley

Hendon:

Laurencin; Parker, Wharton, Walters, Cousins; Cracknell, K Maclaren, Shulton, C Maclaren; Ngoyi, Murray

Subs: Hal, Tomkins, Mazzone, Rankin, Charles

2:43pm

I'll keep you up to date on goings on from Thurrock's clash at Whitehawk and will also be keeping a close eye on Thurrock's three Ryman North teams who are in FA Trophy action today, in the preliminary round.

2:42pm

Good afternoon and welcome to the Thurrock Gazette's live coverage of East Thurrock United vs Hendon.

Both sides will be looking for their first Ryman Premier League win of the season. East Thurrock, who have lacked a goal threat - though may well have addressed that (more on this later), have drawn three and lost one in the league so far.

They boast an unbeaten record at home though and with Hendon sitting just beneath them in the league, they may be sensing a first victory of the season.