East Thurrock United  0-2 Lowestoft Town

Heybridge Swifts  1-3  Brentwood Town

Southend United  2-2  Bradford City

Dagenham & Redbridge  1-0  Barnet

Eastleigh  P-P  Billericay Town

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FULL TIME:  Apologies for the breakdown late on.  Just been one of those days for the Rocks as well as this netbook.  An undeserved defeat for the hosts but sometimes the rub of the green goes against you.

Until the next time, enjoy your weekend, and your football.

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85th min – GOAL! ….. East Thurrock United 0,  LOWESTOFT TOWN 2  Apologies for the breakdown in connections, which is still oh so slow.  I didn’t see the goal.  Either Erkan Okay or Jack Defty got the final touch apparently.

Just as well Joe did!

76th min – Oh, so close!  A corner on the right, and Ben Wood powers a header in.  It looks a certain equaliser but is superbly cleared off the line.  Ironic as the corner came from an awful clearance in the first place, missing the right hand post by milimetres.

72nd min – All action.  Hakeem Araba’s header from the free kick given in that audio report goes a foot wide of the far post.  Lowestoft break and Elliott Justham does well to hold onto a high volley.  From that, play switches to the other goal, and the Rocks Sam Collins shot goes an inch wide.  Cracking stuff.

67th min – Another promising run from Ross Parmenter results in a free kick 25 yards from goal.  That results in the ball going well wide.

Time starts to tick away

63rd min – Beautiful piece of skill from Hakeem Araba, just inside the Lowestoft half, he turns and sends a through ball perfectly to Sam Collins in one swift movement.  He looks a certain scorer, but stumbles on the edge of the area, about to pull the trigger.  So close there.

60th min – I’m enjoying this ref.  He’s giving random decisions that are antagonising supporters of both sides.  Chortle.  Nothing too much going on, fairly attritional now.  Good to see Brentwood doubling their lead though.  Hurrah.

55th min – Hakeem Araba is given a warning of admonition by the ref for being upset at a decision not going his way earlier.  He was clearly tripped off the ball, but both the ref and lino were ball watching and missed it completely.  The away fans are clamouring for a yellow for diving.  Chortle.

50th min – The Rocks continue to press, and after a scramble on the edge of the area, Sam Collins’ goalbound shot is tipped round the right hand post at the Bus Stops End by Andy Plummer.  The corner is easily defended but a great start to this half by the hosts.

47th min – Within 20 seconds of the restart, there’s a yellow card for the Trawlermen’s Kelly and a free kick on the left for a mistimed tackle on Ross Parmenter.  The free kick is the worst one ever but from the clearance, which isn’t good, Hakeem Araba half volleys a shot about 3 inches over the bar.

4.03pm – Kick Off!  And James Lawson comes on for Kurt Smith.

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HALF TIME:  And after we said nothing was happening, it exploded into life.  Two straight reds, both the right decision.  One outside the penalty, one inside.  It’s that penalty which is the only real difference.  A poor game to watch so it’s just as well something has happened to liven proceedings.

Right time for a Bovril and a discussion on the difference between the chest and nether regions.  Laters.

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43rd min – A curling Kye Ruel shot, just inside the left hand edge of the area, goes a foot over the far post.

41st min – The brand new floodlights come on, and play seems to be descending to players concentration being broken by the crowd all moaning for one reason or another.  A dreadful long ball from The Trawlerman, straight onto Simon Peddie’s head, is lauded as a “great ball.”  Chortle.

36th min – GOAL AND RED CARD ….. East Thurrock United 0,  LOWESTOFT TOWN 1  And Kris Newby is the man to go, elbowing the incoming forward over the goal line.  Again, the referee had no option and the penalty by DALE COCKRILL is duly despatched.

Game on now!

35th min – Just to clear it up, despite my always accurate audio reports, it was indeed Michael Frew that went for an early bath, just as I wrote rather than said.  As happens normally when a player is dismissed, it’s all Lowestoft now they’re a man down.

29th min – RED CARD FOR LOWESTOFT TOWN  And the guy causing some of  the danger, Michael Frew is the man to go.

Despite the protestations from away fans, absolutely the right decision.

25th min – It’s odd how the Lowestoft contingent didn’t see that shove on Tom Stephen a few minutes ago, but when the Rocks tussle equally competitively and get the better of things in midfield, they whinge and shout at the ref.  He’s apparently lost the plot.  Yeah, rightio.

Not a great game so far.

19th min – Lowestoft come mighty close.  Michael Frew tussles with Tom Stephen on the left hand edge of the Rocks area.  Tom falls and leaves Frew with a free shot at goal but Justham gets down and saves well at the near post.  Phew.

15th min – Nice cross-field pass from the left by Sam Collins finds Kris Newby wide near the bye-line but he’s shepherded away well.  Meanwhile I take great delight in informing the guy in front of me that Caley Thistle are already losing 3-0.  Chortle.

12th min – And now there’s real danger from Lowestoft.  A long through ball finds Michael Frew free on the edge of the area.  But his shot is more like a back-pass and Elliott Justham collects easily.

10th min – First signs of life from the opposition, a cross field pass from right to left.  But the centre from that is easily defended.  Nothing much to write home about so far.  Except the bloke in front of me is wearing an Inverness Caley jacket.  That’s just not on.

4th min – Tom Stephen takes a volley to the mid-riff and is momentarily winded.  “Don’t rub ’em, count ’em” shouts one away fan, obviously not knowing where is chest his from his private parts.  Which must be a problem when he needs the loo.

1st min – Ooh, early Rocks pressure finds Hakeem Araba in the penalty area on the left.  But he falls over and the ball’s cleared.  Bah.

3.00pm – Kick Off!  Oh yes.

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2.58pm – The teams come out to an unusually enthusiastic response.  Probably happy they’re not at the shops.

2.55pm – Team News:  East Thurrock United go with:-

1.  Elliott Justham

2.  Ryan Sammons

3.  Tom Stephen

4.  Simon Peddie

5.  Ben Wood

6.  Sam Collins

7.  Kris Newby

8.  Ross Parmenter

9.  Hakeem Araba

10.  Kurt Smith

11.  Kye Ruel

Subs:

12 – Liam Burgess

14 – Dean Mason

15 – Matt Pooley

16 – Someone Obaze

17 – James Lawson

Reiss Gilbey suspended after five yellows, Sam Higgins out with a hamstring injury, and Ben Wood back for a title winners reunion.

2.50pm – A very good afternoon from a sunny and welcoming Rookery Hill.  With Billericay Town’s game called off this morning, and Brentwood Town’s match being inaccessible by public transport (not being able to drive on medical grounds is a real pain at times), East Thurrock United have kindly let us be the cuckoos in their Rookery Hill nest again.

Today’s little treat promises to be a contrast in styles.  The Trawlermen are renowned for a somewhat direct style of play.  It’s nonetheless effective as they are permanently in the play-off mix, only beaten to promotion by a very strong AFC Hornchurch last season.

The Rocks, well schooled by retired teacher John Coventry, play a much more eye pleasing game.  Results are less positive, mind, but still it can be argued persuasively that the Corringham outfit continually punch above their weight for the size of club.  Mid table in the Ryman Premier and FA Cup runs are no mean feat.  This could be a good ‘un.

You know the drill, chaps and chapesses.  Simply refresh the page every few minutes, and the irreverent meanderings, and the sounds, of An Idiot In Essex at the football will be yours, all yours.

GAME ON!