Fleet crash out of FA Cup, Rocks miracle come-back, Dockers on top, Grays beat Cheshunt (From Thurrock Gazette)

Fleet crash out of FA Cup, Rocks miracle come-back, Dockers on top, Grays beat Cheshunt

10:57am Wednesday 10th October 2012 in Sport By Matt Abbott

THURROCK crashed out of the FA Cup despite having a good go against their Conference South opponents.

Following a 1-1 draw at Park View Road on Saturday, Fleet went into the replay at Ship Lane with belief that they could book their place in the next round.

Boss Mark Stimson was left ruing a late Matt Turpin goal that was disallowed on Saturday and was frustrated that the Welling opener on Tuesday night was allowed to stand.

Welling took the lead after just 10 minutes when Joe Healy, who looked to be offside, fortuitously collected a through pass and dinked the ball over Fleet keeper Will Viner.

The visitors doubled their lead 11 minutes when Lee Clark headed home from 16-yards after Mark Onyenma failed to get any distance on a clearance from a cross.

Just efore half time, Matt Turpin gave Fleet hope when he turned in Leroy Griffiths' clever cross.

But in the second half, an organised Welling made themselves difficult to break down and headed clear every long ball Thurrock played and made countless tackles in the middle, giving Thurrock's young midfield no time on the ball.

Then n the 63rd minute, the Wings put the game out of sight as they capitalised on some suicidal defending by Lawrence Riga. He played the ball across his own box straight to Ross Lafayette, who found Healy unmarked to his right. The Welling forward carried the ball into the box and smashed it across Viner to make it 3-1.

Thurrock huffed and puffed in front of goal, with Charlie Stimson hitting the post late on but they never looked like breaching a commanding Welling back four.

Speaking after the game, Mark Stimson said: "I'm disappointed because after watching the video from Saturday and not getting a decision with a perfectly good goal, I thought there goal was very dubious. It looked offside to me.

"But with it being 2-1 at half time, we were back in the game and a match for Welling who are a fantastic side.

"And to be fair to Lawrence, he knows he's made a mistake, and a team like Welling punish you for it."

He added: "There are no positives of going out the FA Cup, but it's been a decent run.

"I would love to have been in the next round, and kept the run-going, particularly as the financial rewards are great, but it wasn't to be."

-IN THE Ryman Premier League, East Thurrock United pulled off a stunning come back to beat Enfield Town 3-2.

Rocks were 2-0 down with 70 minutes on the clock, when Sam Collins popped up with a goal to drag them back into the game.

Enfield went 1-0 up after seven minutes and doubled their lead in the 48th.

But a plucky East Thurrock drew level in the 81st minute through Hakeem Araba before Kris Newby grabbed an 88th minute winner.

Enfield were left angry, claiming that in the build-up to the winner, Jordan Lockie was fouled.

Rocks' skipper Reiss Gilbery, who has been in impressive form this season, took to Twitter after the game. He said: "Baffled to how we got three points tonight.

"Didn't influence the game how I would like to have but put it behind me and move on to Saturday."

-JOEL Barnett made it four goals in three games as Tilbury romped to a 4-1 over Redbridge at Chadfields.

The Dockers strecthed their unbeaten run this season to nine games and clocked up their third win in succession, keeping them top of Ryman Division One North.

Barnett opened the scoring in the 57th minute and doubled Dockers' advantage three minutes later.

Emiel Aiken, described by boss Paul Vaughan last week as "one of the best players in the league", made it 3-0 in the 63rd minute, rounding off a sublime six minutes for his side.

Redbridge got one back two minutes later but Martin Llewellyn added a fourth for Tilbury in the 89th minute.

-JUNIOR Baker scored the winner for Grays Athletic as they beat Cheshunt, later dedicating the goal to his Grandfather, who passed away recently.

Kenny Beaney gave Blues the lead in the 16th minute and it wasn't until the second half that Cheshunt pegged the visitors back.

Ryan Wade got the equaliser in the 58th minute. But fans-favourite Baker, in his 99th game for Grays, rose to head home Joao Carlos corner in the 75th minute.

That win moves Grays up to fifth in the Ryman North league.