Carshalton  1-1  East Thurrock United

Bath City  2-1  Billericay Town

Brentwood Town 2-0  Cheshunt

AFC Wimbledon  2-2  Dagenham & Redbridge

Southend United 1-0  Wycombe Wanderers

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FULL TIME:  And overall, a fair result.  East Thurrock United were probably the better of the two teams, but not really enough to warrant taking all three points.  Spencer Harrison’s dismissal was the obvious turning point, as that gave Carshalton encouragement, but an away point with 10 men isn’t so bad in the run of things.  Although it does extend both clubs winless legue starts.

Pics from this afternoon’s game can be found here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/phoenixfmsport/sets/72157631355542940/

Next up is Tuesday evening’s Conference South clash at New Lodge between Billericay Town and Tonbridge Angels.  Unitl then, laters.

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Injury Time: 180 seconds of them.  Or 3 minutes, whatever is cheaper.  And ooh, possibly a late winner for Brentwood Town!

90th min – And the Rocks almost nick it again.  A corner on the right, some confusion in the area, and Kye Ruel’s shot from 10 yards is saved on the line.  Ooh.

86th min – Ooh, that was nearly a shock lead for the Rocks.  Good work from Kris Newby on the right, he crosses, Reiss Gilbey gets to it, but his header goes inches wide of the far post.

81st min – GOAL ….. CARSHALTON ATHLETIC 1,  East Thurrock United 1 I might have known it.  A pass into the right hand side of the box, sub OLA SOGABUNMU turns superbly, and slots home into the far post corner of the net from 10 yards.

The Rocks are in trouble here.

78th min – Having a chat with JB in the press box.  He says he can’t see a way through for Carshalton.  I know your cunning plan, James, tempting fate and that.    And from a centre on the left, Wayne Gray heads over.  That was too close for comfort, that.

74th min – But back come Covo’s boys, and Sam Higgins surging run down the right ends with a shot that flashes across the face of goal.

73rd min – Ooh, uncomfortably close to an equaliser.  A corner on the right, nobody picks up defender Dawayne Campbell, but his powerful header from 10 yards goes a foot over the bar.

71st min – Still the Rocks come forward, though, and from the right Sam Collins does well to get the cross in.  Sam Higgins’ header goes just wide from eight yards out.

67th min – RED CARD FOR EAST THURROCK UNITED Oh-oh, this could be a game changer.  Spencer Harrison, the last defender, takes his man down from about 25 yards.  The free kick comes to nothing but he’s off for an early bath.  Ho hum

66th min – Some neat play from Reiss Gilbey and Kris Newby in the opposition half ends with a curling Kye Ruel shot just inside the left hand edge of the area which is well saved.  Nice stuff.

63rd min – Oddly enough, though, we’re back to the moribund stuff.  That’ll do me now.  The Rocks win a free kick halfway inside the Robins half but it comes to nowt.

58th min – GOAL! ….. Carshalton Athletic 0,  EAST THURROCK UNITED 1 Yes!  At last!  The Rocks resume the attack from the keeper’s kick down the right, Ryan Sammons gets a wicked centre in, and SAM COLLINS slots home at the near post.

Liquid football!

57th min – At last a decent effort.  East Thurrock win a throw on the left, and on the edge of the area, Sam Collins shoots, with home keeper Nick Hamann making a good save at the near post

54th min – Again the Rocks come forward, and Reiss Gilbey can’t quite get any control on a through ball on the right hand edge of the area.  At the other end, Richard Wray fumbles a relatively easy take but it’s away from the goal rather than towards it.  A brown trouser moment though.

51st min – East Thurrock respond by forcing a corner on the right, which results in a shot going hide and wide.  One of the rugrats says it’s the fifth ball that’s gone out the ground.  Maybe the balls themselves are trying to tell us something.

47th min – A mazy Jack Clark run causes the Rocks problems, the ball is played wide right to Wayne Gray, his cross is an excellent one but nobody gets on the end of it.  Phew.

4.02pm – Kick off! Oh ye … oh alright, if you must.

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HALF TIME: It hasn’t been an awful, error strewn game, but one of those mundane ones where both sides cancel each other out.  If only Kye Ruel’s early effort had gone in, it would’ve livened things up no end.  Ah well, we can hope that the next 45 gives us the sort of action the first 10 did.

Right, off for a Bovril and another bacon roll.  Oh yes.  Laters.

45th min – Ooh, how very close.  A free kick on the right, delivered smartly by Spencer Harrison, Kris Newby gets the merest of a flick-on, and it goes just wide of the far post.  What a time that would have been to score.

41st min – Deep inside East Thurrock territory, Ryan Sammons shackles Jack Clark and gets a whack in the face for his troubles.  There was no intent though.  But Ryan’s reaction may have turned the hosts red shirts blue as well as the air.  Chortle.

38th min – Ooh, a somewhat crude tackle about 25 yards out, in a central position, gives the hosts a free kick.  It looks dangerous but is just smacked against the wall and away.  Not exactly liquid football.

37th min – Lovely turn by Kye Ruel on the edge of the Athletic box but his shot is tamer than a very tame thing.  That’s been domesticated.

33rd min – I’m not saying the game is uninspiring at the moment, but I spy, with my little eye …. The Rocks had another corner that again went straight out, and Jack Clark’s shot for Carshalton on the left hand edge of the area went in the general direction of Sutton.

29th min – Richard Wray is alert to a through ball played to Lewis Taylor on the right, and he comfortably punches clear as soon as the ball comes into the area.

26th min – The rugrats around me are making a din.  That’s about the only real fun so far.  Cancelling each other out is the expression.

21st min – As soon as I say that, a bit of action.  The Rocks get a couple of corners, and the hosts one after a Lewis Taylor shot was deflected out on the right hand edge of the six yard box.  None of the corners came to anything though.

18th min – After the lively start, it’s gone a bit, well, moribund.  JB, the Carshalton media guy, agrees that it needs livening up a bit.  Perhaps random punchings?

14th min – The hosts are slowly getting a foothold in proceedings without creating a chance as such.  Everyone seems to be happy though.  Must be the nice weather or parents knowing they’ll be rid of their rutrags at school soon.  Meanwhile, Brentwood Town miss an open goal.  Hurroo.

10th min – More pressure and another corner, on the left, which comes to nothing.  But Southend United are ahead.  Hurrah and huzzah!

7th min – Wow, that was close!  More pressure from Ryan Sammons and Kris Newby on the right forces a second corner.  There’s panic just outside the six yard box, Kye Ruel gets the header in, it looks a certain goal, but is deflected over the bar for another corner, which then evades everyone.  Good start for East Thurrock, this.

3rd min – Early pressure from the Rocks, clad in their black and white striped away kit (ugh), which earns a corner on the left, but is comfortably defended.

3.00pm – KICK OFF! Oh yes!

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2.58pm – The teams come out to polite applause, with loads of Carshalton’s youth kids / toddlers running out as mascots.  Good that, innit.

2.55pm – Phew, glad that got through.  Anyway, the War Memorial Sports Ground is well appointed.  The bacon rolls are great.  That’s all you need really.  Not a huge crowd, but not surprising considering it’s the last weekend of the school hols, Paralympics are on, and both sides are yet to record a league win yet.

Had a nice chat with Wayne Gray, whose goal secured Southend United the League One title in 2006 at a packed Roots Hall.  I doubt it’s packed today, and judging by what Wayne told me about the present situation, doubt there will be much joy on or off the pitch for the Shrimpers in the coming months.  Oh.

2.50pm – Team News Oh my, the interweb thingy is playing up already.  Bother.  Anyhow, the Rocks go with:

1.  Richard Wray

2.  Ryan Sammons

3.  Tom Stephen

4.  Simon Peddie

5.  Spencer Harrison

6.  Ross Parmenter

7.  Kris Newby

8.  Reiss Gilbey (c)

9.  Sam Higgins

10.  Kye Ruel

11.  Sam Collins

The subs are

12.  Lewis Bentley

14.  Joe Keith

15.  Matt Hall

16.  Lewis Frost

17.  Marc Gorbell

2.40pm – A very warm welcome from a very warm War Memorial Sports Ground.  It could be another battle today, too, as East Thurrock United go in search of their first win of the season.

It’s not as bad as it sounds.  The Rocks have drawn 3 of their 4 league games, including that very good point they picked up the last time they had the live treatment at Wealdstone.  One thing is certain, though, and that’s nothing is certain when Covo’s boys take to the field.  They can play awful and win, or play superbly and get pummelled.

A close eye will also be kept on Billericay Town’s long trip to Bath City.  It’s a tough ask to win there, with the hosts recent Conference pedigree.  There’s also fun and frolics to be had at the Arena, with the FA Cup on show, and Brentwood Town wanting that first league win against Cheshunt.  All in all, a spiffing afternoon of top notch footy fun is coming your way.

As ever, just keep refreshing this page every few minutes, and tune into the superb Dave Turner on Between The Lines from 4pm, and all will become clear.  And exciting.  Maybe.  Perhaps.  Oh yes.

GAME ON!