East Thurrock 1–4 Maidenhead United

From Rookery Hill

FA Trophy 1st round

 

EAST Thurrock United’s FA Trophy journey came to an abrupt end against Maidenhead United, as a strong second-half showing saw the National League South side progress.

Kye Ruel had equalised for Rocks on the stroke of half-time, after Ryan Upward had opened the scoring. But Dave Tarpey and a brace from Jake Reid ensured it was plain sailing in the end for Alan Devonshire’s men.

Rocks had enjoyed wins over South Park, Tiverton Town and Merthyr Town in the competition to date, with all those victories coming at Rookery Hill.

However, National League South play-off chasers Maidenhead promised to provide a sterner test for John Coventry’s side.

Neither side could get the ball down in the opening 20 minutes, with Maidenhead's James Mulley creating the only real opening.

Ashley Miller slipped in the right-back position and Mulley was through. However, his shot was blocked by the covering defender with the ricochet headed off the line by the back-pedalling Simon Peddie.

The first real chance of the game brought the first goal. A free-kick was partially cleared by Rocks but the loose ball dropped to Upward and he struck a sweet effort that whistled past Lukas Lidakevicius.

Ryan Scott headed over in response, although Carl Pentney was largely untroubled in the away goal.

One of the few things he had to do in the half was pick the ball out of the net in the closing exchanges.

Neat play from Tom Wraight on the right touchline saw him feed a ball into Ruel, who manoeuvred space and fired an effort past Pentney.

The second-half followed much the same pattern, with the wind playing an important part as Maidenhead took the lead. A long ball from the Pentney raced through to Tarpey and he slotted past Lidakevicius.

Josh Huggins saw an effort tipped inches past the post by Lidakevicius as the Magpies continued to apply the pressure and they got the third goal with 15 minutes remaining. Lidakevicius was spotted off his line by Reid and the forward sent a 25 yard lob into the empty net.

And the striker made sure when a corner dropped to him at the far post and he fired high beyond the two defender on the line to complete the scoring.

 

East Thurrock: Lidakevicius, Miller, Knott, Scott, Peddie, Wood, Sammons, Robson (Craddock), Higgins, Wraight

Maidenhead: Pentney, Peters, Pitchard, Upward, Massey, Nesbet, Tarpey (Barratt), Smith, Reid, Huggins (James), Mulley