THURROCK'S bid to beat the drop suffered another heavy blow with this home defeat against play-off chasing visitors.

But here they were unlucky in front of a 286-strong crowd as they came up against a fine goalkeeping performance from Hayes’ Delroy Preddie.

Early on on-loan front runner Kieran St Aimie had a volley well held by the stopper.

At the other end, Thurrock keeper Joe Woolley was twice forced into action before Che Stadhart volleyed over for Fleet and then cleared the bar again with St Aimie twice providing the ammunition.

Winger Fola Orilonishe then wasted the host side’s best chance when he spurned the opportunity of passing and shot straight at Preddie when clean through.

Preddie then thwarted St Aimie again from a headed chance and Thurrock saw their bad luck continue 13 minutes from time.

Matt Paine fouled Scott Fitzgerald in the box and was sent off with Will Hendry converting the resultant penalty for the afternoon’s only goal.

Hendry might have had a second with a speculative 40-yarder after Woolley had left his goal to clear a through ball, but Thurrock could count themselves unfortunate to go unrewarded from the game and are four points away from safety in third from bottom spot.

Next Saturday they face a key game when they visit a fifth-from-bottom Havant and Waterlooville side who are currently six points ahead of them from level games.

Results: AFC Wimbledon 2 Dorchester 0, Bath City 2 Havant & Waterlooville 1, Bishop's Stortford 3 Worcester City 0, Bognor Regis Town 3 Team Bath 0, Bromley 1 Braintree Town 4, Eastleigh 1 Weston-S-Mare 0, Fisher Athletic 0 St Albans 4, Maidenhead United 1 Basingstoke Town 2, Thurrock 0 Hayes & Yeading 1, Welling United 4 Hampton & Richmond 0.