East Thurrock United 1-2 Merstham

From Rookery Hill

Ryman Premier League

 

EAST Thurrock United lost their first league match in 11 weeks as they were somewhat surprisingly beaten by Merstham.

Rocks had taken the lead as Sam Higgins scored his 31st goal of the season, having earlier missed a penalty, only for the visitors to draw level before half-time.

The winning goal came 19 minutes from time.

Josh Smith was the busier goalkeeper in the early stages, as he twice denied Higgins an earlier opener although the striker missed an even better chance.

Having been dragged down in the area, Higgins stepped up but dragged the kick wide of the post.

But he did get his name on the scoresheet, as he bundled home after good work at the far post from Joe Ellul.

The equaliser came seven minutes before the break, with the goal similar to the one Higgins had scored at the other end.

Tutu Henriques was the man who got it as he prodded home from close range.

Into the second-half, Ellul shot wide and Higgins was again kept out by Smith as the home team cranked up the pressure.

But it was the away side that got the next goal. A ball was played into the path of Charlie Penny and his strike flew across the dive of Lukas Lidakevicius and into the bottom corner.

Lewis Smith had two chances to restore parity for John Coventry’s side, but James was enjoying a fine day in the Merstham goal, as the Surrey side took the points.

 

East Thurrock United: Lidakevicius, Sammons, Nottage, Ellul, Hayles, Wood, Smith, Craddock, Higgins, Walker (Ruel), Wraight