Thurrock FC unlucky to lose to Canvey (From Thurrock Gazette)

Brad Brace sends Gulls soaring over Fleet

10:57am Monday 14th January 2013 in Sport

RYMAN PREMIER: BRADLEY Woods-Garness scored a brace to fire the Gulls into the play-off places with a hard-fought 2-0 win over visiting Thurrock, writes JAMES COLASANTI.

The striker scored in either half to move the Gulls up from seventh to fourth, and push island rivals Concord — whose game at Hampton was postponed because of a waterlogged pitch — down to fifth.

Only a terrific double save from Ashlee Jones stopped Thurrock taking an 11th minute lead. Canvey’s first sight of goal came in the 19th minute when Rob King blazed over, but a minute later they were in front as Ashley Dumas set up Woods-Garness to slot the ball instinctively inside the post for his 14th goal of the season.

It was a bit hard on Fleet, who had played well and went close late in the half when right back Darren Ebsworth made an over-lapping run but flashed a shot wide from 20 yards.

It was a shot-shy opening to the second half until Jay Curran muscled himself some space in the penalty area and drew a good low save from David Hughes on 70 minutes.

Then Fleet went very close as Robbie Norris hit a shot which skidded off the top of the crossbar a minute later.

But the Gulls scored a killer second a minute after that as Woods-Garness turned the ball home from close-range following a wicked, whipped delivery from Ashley Dumas.

Thurrock (4-4-2): Hughes; Jones, Guest, Jeffries, Ebsworth; Wanadio (Paxman 67), Thurgood, Norris, Green; Stimson (Imbert 78), Honesty (Cook 78).

Gazette MOM: Bradley Woods-Garness (Canvey Island).

For the full story and pictutres see Friday's THURROCK GAZETTE