Hampton & Richmond Borough 5-1 East Thurrock United

(Wassmer 3’, Coombes 30’, 42’, Kiernan 45’, 88’: Richardson 76’)

From the Beveree Stadium

National League South

EAST Thurrock United endured a day to forget as they were hammered 5-1 by play-off chasing Hampton & Richmond Borough.

Rocks have won their last four matches in all competitions and were very much a team on the up.

They visited Hampton, who they had a favourable record against in recent times, but the Beavers stormed into an early lead.

Lukas Lidakevicius, restored to the line-up after a virus, had already made a save before Charlie Wassmer thrashed home through a crowded penalty area following a corner.

It could have been two only for Shaun McCauley to wallop high over the bar when well placed.

But the second goal was forthcoming. Sam Howes’ free-kick from deep found Adam Coombes and he struck an unstoppable dive beyond Lidakevicius to put Rocks in further trouble.

And a first half to forget was rounded off when Coombes scored his second just before the break.

A fine individual goal, he held off the Rocks defence before rounding the goalkeeper and netting.

Brendan Kiernan scored a fourth to compound East Thurrock’s misery.

Sam Higgins had several efforts early in the second half for the visitors as they looked to drag their way back into the match.

Reece Harris and Tom Richardson were off target although the latter was to get his first league goal with less than 15 minutes remaining.

Higgins was sent off as frustrations boiled over and the hosts scored a fifth to compound a miserable afternoon when a missed clearance from Lidakevicius fell to Kiernan who tapped home late on.

East Thurrock United: Lidakevicius, Sammons, Sampayo, White, M. Ekpiteta, Burns, Richardson, Cornhill, Higgins, Agyemang, Harris