Thurlow Nunn First Division South, Tuesday 28th July
I was over at Rookery Hill for the first time in two years to see the first competitive game there for sometime as East Thurrock Community played their first ever home game in Senior Football and there first home game of the new season against local rivals Basildon Town who themselves were getting there season underway after not being in action on the opening weekend.
The hosts are playing their home games at Rookery Hill this season whilst their ground, Wyldecrest Sports Country Club, is brought up to standard for this level, therefore the old girl had one more season to hosts competitive football once again, something we all thought may never happen, so it was nice to be back there to watch this great old sport & a great crowd of 272 were in attendance too, to see whether East Thurrock could continue their perfect start to the new season or if Bas Town could get their season off to a winning start.
The first half was quite scrappy and bitty, typical of a local derby, and there wasn't a great deal of quality, the hosts thumped a close range effort against the bar but the flag had gone up so it would not have counted, but it was the visitors who edged in front just past the midway point of the half, it came after East Thurrock lost the ball in their own final third, Bas Town recycled it and some nice play resulted in a wonderful ball being played into the box where Freddie Smyth nodded perfectly past hosts keeper Max Seymour.
It was a wonderfully worked goal, a lovely cross and perfectly onto the head of Smyth, and it meant the visitors led at the break after having the better of the half, the hosts had competed for sure but they knew they needed to up it in the second forty five minutes to ensure they kept their winning/unbeaten start to the season intact.
Well, they certainly did that and were much better after the break, they missed a golden chance to level when they saw visiting keeper Jake Reeve somehow keep out two efforts from the hosts, it was a heads on hands moment for the home side and it could have got to their heads thinking this wasn't their night, but they kept plugging away and with twenty minutes to go they drew level.
Thomas Barnacle managed to burst clear of the visiting defence, and after looking keeper Reeve in the eye, he slotted beyond the onrushing keeper and brought his side back on level terms, and three minutes later, the hosts had struck again to turn this one around, Reeve making a superb save from point blank range but Lewis Rowe was quickest to react to force the ball over the line from close range and hand the hosts the lead.
It had been a brilliant second half fightback, and one that proved enough for them to take a second win of the season and make it two wins from two to start their first ever season at this level in the best possible way, for Bas Town, they lose their first game of the season and will be disappointed after leading at the break and being the better side up till that point, a good game in all though in front of a decent crowd at Rookery Hill, just like the old days the hosts are probably thinking, they will be immensely proud of where they have come in a short space of time so far.
Full time East Thurrock Community 2 Basildon Town 1
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