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Harlow Town 1, East Thurrock United 2

DESPITE a last gasp winner Rocks have been relegated from the Ryman Premier League on goal difference - and they are left to rue the error that cost them a docked point when unregistered youngster Michael Hart came on as a substitute and played just four minutes their league match at home to Harrow Borough on Saturday, December 8.

The point they gathered from a goalless draw was docked by the league and ultimately it has proved the difference between staying up and going down.

East Thurrock went into today's game at Harlow knowing they had to win to have a hope of survival and Tony Boot grabbed a dramatic late winner to raise their hopes.

However, the results Rocks needed to go their way elsewhere didn't happen as Carshalton beat Tonbridge and Maidstone won at Folkestone.

It was a galling end to the season for Rocks, who at one stage topped the table before then manager Lee Patterson left to join Braintree - ironically confirming their place in the Blue Square South play-offs today with a win against second-placed Eastbourne after Thurrock beat Eastleigh.

Harlow, themselves contenders for the drop until emulating Rocks recent performance by beating AFC Wimbledon last week, took the lead through Clark Akers in the 47th minute before Max Cornhill, one of the bright stars of Rocks' season, equalised and Boot got his winner.

East Thurrock dominated the first half but Ben Boyce's shot in the 27th minute comfortably saved by James Hassell was the best chance to break the deadlock.

The second period, however, was a different story!

In the first minute Ashley Dumas's free kick from the edge of the penalty area clipped the crossbar with Hassell well beaten. Play soon shifted to the other end and within a minute Akers had put the home team in front. The ex Rocks forward James Bunn had the ideal opportunity to extend Harlow's lead in the 51st minute from the penalty spot, but Gore saved the shot to keep East Thurrock in the game.

Rocks continued to press for the equaliser as Rio Alderton's looping shot went wide of the target and Hassell again had to be called upon this time to deny Tony Boot.

It was Cornhill in the 72nd minute who latched onto a clearance from the Harlow defence, and through determination ran at the defence beating three players and volleying past Hassell.

In the 77th minute East Thurrock had an appeal for a penalty when Cornhill was brought down, but the decision was given on the edge of the penalty area, Dave Lee's shot went narrowly over the bar.

In the last minute of normal time Hassell was replaced in goal by youngster Michael Dumoulin. Within a minute of coming on his first task was to pick the ball out of the net. A long through ball found Boot who slid his shot past Dumoulin who had failed to close down on the Rocks forward.

The victory was no more than East Thurrock deserved in this game, but their fate was determined elsewhere on the ay and perhaps on that fateful afternoon when Hart made his brief but very costly appearance.

Rocks: Gore, Newby, Dumas, Cornhill, Alderton, Wood, Williams, Boyce (Boot), West, Wareham (Martin), Harrison (Lee). .

Ryman Premier: Final Table

7:38pm Saturday 26th April 2008

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