East Thurrock United 1-1 Enfield Town

From Rookery Hill

Ryman Premier League

 

EAST Thurrock United ended their season at Rookery Hill with a battling draw against a determined Enfield Town side gunning for the play-offs.

Rocks had seen their own top five hopes ended last Sunday, following a 2-2 draw with Kingstonian, but manager John Coventry was still determined for his team to finish a season that promised so much strongly.

The home side started strongly and Lewis Smith was the first to strike at goal, although away goalkeeper Nathan McDonald was on his toes to tip wide of the target.

However, Enfield are a team on form and nippy striker Bobby Devyne came close with an effort that he pulled narrowly wide with 20 minutes on the clock.

43-goal Sam Higgins saw his free-kick pushed aside by McDonald, with the striker again denied by the keeper soon after, as his volley was pushed aside.

The goalkeeper was proving a formidable barrier and McDonald was again brilliant in denying Connor Witherspoon on the stroke of half-time, as his header was tipped away.

Enfield upped their game in the second-half and they could have scored within a minute – Devyne missing the target.

Joe Ellul saw a goal wiped out for a foul on Rocks keeper David Hughes, with Jordan Lockie dragging wide moments after.

A flash point came after an hour, as Kye Ruel went down under the challenge of McDonald, having been put in the clear, but the midfielder was carded for diving, and 10 minutes later Town had the lead.

An onrushing Devyne met a fine cross and his volley found the net.

Simon Peddie was denied having come on from the bench but the goal was coming and it was Higgins who scored it.

David Bryant was felled in the box and Higgins slammed it home off the right hand post.

Ricky Gabriel was sent off for a second booking late on for Enfield but it ended all square.

 

East Thurrock United: Hughes, Sammons (Peddie), Wood, Goodacre, Stephen, Witherspoon, Symons, Smith, Higgins, Ruel (Brown), Gilbey (Bryant)