Mead out of Trophy

8:20pm Sunday 5th October 2008

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East Thurrock United 2-1 Thamesmead Town F.C.

THAMESMEAD are out of the FA Trophy after defeat at East Thurrock United in their first ever match in the competition.

The first real opportunity of the game fell to Bradley Killick when East Thurrocks backline all left defending to each other and the Thamesmead man ran through unchallenged.

However, with the goal at his mercy, he fluffed his strike and the ball bounced into the grateful arms of keeper Richard Wray.

Rocks had a rare chance soon after when Ryan Sammond laced the ball goal wards from the edge of the box but Mead goalkeeper Chris Conneally, who was to emerge as Thamesmead's second half hero, sucked the ball into his chest.

More slack marking at the other end gifted a glorious chance to Lee Coborn but with time and space on his side he lobbed the ball over, rather than under the bar.

Steve Harrison, whose energy and enthusiasm remain an exemplary force in the heart of home sides midfield, forced a near post save from Conneally.

And just before the break there were heart-stopping moments at both ends, with Robbie Tarrant grazing the bar for Thamesmead with an angled cross-come-shot and Kurt Smith heading just over in the dying seconds.

The story for the opening stages of the second half was of Rocks wasting possession.

Time and time again they picked the wrong option and they allowed Thamesmead more time than they should have had to clear their lines.

However, when the opening goal came it was a decisive piece of action from the home team.

Luke Hall delivered a great angled ball into the channel and Smith got on the end of it to backflick the ball towards Touhy.

The striker still had lots to do, but he produced a great first touch and dragged the ball into a shooting position, sliding it across the face of the goal past a despairing Conneally.

That ought to have been game over but Thamesmead got a penalty a couple of minutes later when Hall showed his inexperience with a mistimed tackle and Rikki Cable slotted home the subsequent penalty.

East Thurrock showed more urgency after that but their delivery was still poor and time and time again Conneally was able to take the ball and add an element of confidence to what in honesty looked a frail defence.

But just when the visiting defenders thought they had done enough Rocks won a free kick wide on the left which Holding delivered quickly and Cornhill, with Conneally for once rooted to the spot, did the rest.