East Thurrock United 1, Billericay Town 0

HARD work and an opportunistic finish were the keys to Rocks' victory in Tuesday's Ryman League Westview Cup south-Essex derby at Rookery Hill.

A match that was pretty evenly contested throughout was decided by an 18th minute volley from midfielder Danny Harris, whose willingness to run and run typified the spirit from Rocks, who were attempting to bounce back from a very poor display at Ramsgate at the weekend against a side buoyed by their home win against Hampton and Richmond.

Cynics in the home camp might also describe the moment two minutes later when Blues keeper Mel Capleton stayed on the pitch after handballing outside his box as another big turning point in the match, though in truth the flamboyant former Southend man was rarely tested and might not have been missed, while at the other end Rocks' young keeper Jamie Riley pulled off several fine stops.

Ironically Capleton was in the Billericay nets as regular keeper Billy McMahon was serving the first of a two match ban for handling outside the box, and there seemed little reason why referee Whitton could allow the stand-in to stay on the pitch when he handled under pressure. He spotted the offence and booked the veteran keeper, leaving the hosts with a sense of injustice.

By that time Rocks, who gave a debut to former Thurrock player Boniek Forbes, had taken the lead, which came when Scott Holding, serving with no little style as a makeshift striker in the absence of suspended Vinnie John, chased the ball down the left and whipped in a cross that Harris met with a calmly taken volley.

The rest of the half was largely dominated by Billericay and they wasted three great chances to draw level. A blunder by Riley and Richard Halle left Matt Game with the chance to slot the ball into a net guarded by just defender Danny Dafter, but the East Thurrock skipper was grateful to see the ball tapped to him with no venom.

Moments later Game had another chance and this time struck a crisp shot after springing the offside trap but the ball was pushed wide by the sprawling Riley. When the cross came in Nathan Elder launched himself at it with a fearsome dive but his powerful header was just wide.

East Thurrock had the last chance of the half when Harris burst through but he drove the ball inches over the bar.

He was to get another chance early in the second half, but from another excellent Holding cross he was unable to squeeze the ball in from a narrow angle.

Billericay replaced Elder with the even bigger Rikki Birbridge and the former Hornchurch striker went on to show some useful touches, but not nearly enough were in the danger areas as East Thurrock hustled and bustled to keep their visitors at bay.

Most of the few chances in a game that was nevertheless entertaining came to Harris midway through the half but great defending by Jamie Dormer kept him out.

Both sides introduced substitutes in a bid to sway the result but East Thurrock managed to hold on, even if somewhat anxiously in the closing minutes when Riley was forced to make the save of the match at his near post post after a snap strike from Burbridge.

Attendance 124.

East Thurrock United: Riley, Faulkner, Danny Lunan, Harrison (Fiddes), Halle, Dafter, Burns, Lee Williams, Holding (Lewis), Forbes (Hayzelden), Harris.

Billericay: Capleton, McSweeney, Ryan, Swaine, Dormer (Kerrigan), Game, Hunter, Elder (Burbridge), Poole (Flack), Hodges.