Tilbury denied by Adam Seal penalty save as Great Wakering Rovers grab point

From Chadfields

Ryman One North

TILBURY were denied three points by Adam Seal's superb penalty save, as Great Wakering Rovers snatched a draw at Chadfields.

y a superSeal threw himself to his right to keep out substitute Tom Wood with 15 minutes remaining to keep the game goal-less, in a game that didn’t offer much in terms of opportunities.

Tilbury came into the match on a good run of form, having lost only two of their last nine matches under Gary Henty, while Rovers had been struggling of late.

With only two wins since the turn of the year, Dan Trenkel’s side haven’t been able to build on an impressive first half of the season to date.

However, both teams struggled to make an impact in the opening exchanges at Chadfields.

In fact there was only one chance in the opening 30 minutes, as both sides struggled to get to grips with a hard pitch.

The chance came to the Dockers and it was a defensive mistake that let in the hosts.

Billy Radley, starting at right-back, could only divert the ball into the path of Francis Babalola and the striker looked odds on to score as he bore down on goal.

But Adam Seal raced out to make a terrific save with his legs, and deny what was a certain goal.

Lamar Johnson, on loan from Grays Athletic was a spectator in the first half, and could only watch on as his opposite number kept the game scoreless on the stroke of half-time.

Another lapse in concentration saw that ball drop to Tony Martin but the striker couldn’t beat Seal, as he tipped his effort away.

The second-half had to offer more, although it started slowly. It took Wakering almost an hour to have their first attempt of the match through Jay Nash, shooting straight at Johnson after a poor clearance.

Rovers were growing into the game and should have taken the lead when Nash picked up the ball outside the penalty box but could only curl it wide of Johnson’s near post.

Johnson was a central figure in the second period, and a mistake almost let in Trenkel, who could only shoot at the keeper with the goal gaping.

Tilbury needed to respond, and they did. Babalola, their main threat burst through and crashed an effort at goal, only to be denied by a superb block by Rovers captain Lewis Sparrow.

Nick Skelton cleared off the line from the resulting corner before Dockers were awarded a spot-kick.

Billy Radley, who had been booked moments earlier, lunged in on substitute Rimmel Daniel and was shown a second yellow.

But Seal was not to be beaten, and he flung himself to his right to keep out Tom Wood.

And that was how it stayed, with Rovers claiming a decent point in the circumstances, while Tilbury may be unhappy at having not claimed the points.

Tilbury: L Johnson, E Johnson, Cook, Nightingill (Webb), Smith, Game, Flack, Carlile (Wood), Babalola, Martin, Aiken (Daniel)

Great Wakering Rovers: Seal, Worrell, Radley, Slater (Pugsley), Sparrow, Skelton, Bradley (Strickland), Ranger, Trenkel, Nash, Skeels