East Thurrock United 3-2 VCD Athletic
From Rookery Hill
Ryman Premier League
SAM Higgins continued his remarkable scoring sequence to net a hat-trick as East Thurrock United returned to winning ways and march back into play-off contention.
The striker has now scored in the last 11 games in which Rocks have scored to shoot his way to the top of the scoring charts.
The 24-minute treble took the forward to 34 goals for the season, and came after the Kent side took the lead.
Only 10 minutes were on the clock when James Duckworth bore down on goal to slot home, benefitting from a fortuitous bounce into his path.
But the goal spurred John Coventry’s side into life and they were level only seven minutes later.
Higgins sent a looping header over Nick Blue to draw parity from a delightful Ryan Sammons cross.
Five minutes later the game had been turned on its head. He beat the offside trap to go through one-on-one, before rounding the keeper and slotting home.
Rocks continued to press and five minutes before the half-time whistle he secured his treble when he scored from the penalty spot having been brought down by Grant Basey.
The decision was dispute by the away players, who felt like they should have been awarded a penalty moments before.
There was little between the sides in the second period, and the away side pulled a goal back through Leigh Bremner who finished well.
But it was the home team that claimed the points, and who now sit outside the play-off places on goal difference alone.
East Thurrock United: Hughes, Sammons, Wood, Goodacre, Stephen (Phillips), Witherspoon, Paxman (Gilbey), Parmenter, Higgins, Bryant (Symons), Ruel
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