Thurrock hit five in entertaining victory

7:47pm Saturday 8th March 2008

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Thurrock 5, Cambridge City 2

THURROCK'S hopes of a late run at the Blue Square South play-offs have all but mathematically disappeared and perhaps the fact that the pressure is off helped them to this impressive - and highly entertaining - victory on Saturday.

This was an outstanding performance, set up as early as the fifth minute after Fola Orilonishe's left wing cross was knocked across the six yard box by David Bryant. Ashley Timms could only watch as Che Stadhart popped up to tap the ball home at the far post.

On a weekend of FA Cup football, you might have been excused in believing that this was a cup match itself, when just 80 seconds later the visitors were level.

Ashley Fuller found space on the left to shoot, his effort was parried into the path of Matt Haniver by keeper David Blackmore and he converted from close range.

In the 28th minute Thurrock took the lead once more with an outstanding half volley by Matt Bodkin which saw the ball firmly lodged in the stanchion after another great cross by Orilonishe from the left.

Everything that Bodkin and Orilonishe were involved in was turning to gold and 11 minutes later Blackmore started a move with a throw out to the always-impressive Fleet captain Lee Flynn. He played in Orilonishe down the left and his perfect delivery was powerfully headed home by Bodkin.

On the brink of half time Lee Chaffey handed Cambridge a lifeline to leave the game perfectly balanced after he bundling home Dave Theobald's close range shot.

With the wind behind them, Thurrock wasted no time in the second half in extending their lead. Just three minutes had gone when superb vision from ex-City midfield general Greg Lincoln saw Stadhart beat the offside trap to slot home.

Cambridge threw everything they had at Thurrock with Michael Gash having a number of chances, but Matt Paine and Lincoln continued to organise the home side in the middle before Bryant killed the game off with a delicate lob from 18 yards with 15 minutes remaining.

Thurrock: Blackmore, Flynn, Clark, Paine, Cole (85, Anderson), Lettejallow, Orilonishe, Stadhart (78, Hughes), Lincoln (88, Saunders), Bryant, Bodkin.