East Thurrock United 0, Maldon & Tiptree 4

(Report by Lee Witney)

Going into this Isthmian North game (Saturday, 12 November) game, the hosts were unbeaten in eight in the league, having won five of those games on the spin. The Jammers were looking to build on improving performances of late and a first league win of the season last weekend.

Maldon started brightly and were rewarded after 5 minutes when left back, Kacy Parish played a ball inside to skipper, Laste Dombaxe who sent the onrushing East Thurrock player for a pie and chips, before taking a touch and unleashing a piledriver from 25 yards out into the top right corner which left the keeper with no chance.

It was just reward for Laste, whose performances have coincided with our upturn in fortunes of late.

The hosts settled and nearly broke on the 11th minute through former Jammer, Brian Moses. He was stopped by a retreating Lance Akins who conceded a free kick which came to nothing and was booked for his troubles.

It proved to be a turning point, as less than a minute later, we doubled our lead thanks to Roman Campbell's first goal in a Jammers shirt. The play again started from the left hand side of the pitch, this time through a sensational switch of play from Joe Turpin. His long, cross field ball found a marauding Benny Bioletti who played a one-two with the impressive Kamani McFarlane. Benny's cross into the box found Campbell just on the edge of the 6 yard box. Roman quickly adjusted his feet to place his shot low into Rocks goalkeeper Montel Joseph's left corner.

Not happy with 2, we continued to press and after just 15 minutes, it was 3! A long throw from Lance was punched clear by Joseph, but only as far as Sam Coombes on the edge of the box who hit a diamond cutter of a shot first time which whistled through a crowd of bodies into the net. It was Coombsey's first goal for the club- and what a way to break the duck- definitely something to tell the grandkids about!

Maldon looked like scoring every time they went forward and continued to cause East Thurrock's defence all manner of problems. Kempy had a shot blocked for a corner after a flick on from Roman, who himself had one cleared off the line from another corner. Add a mercurial Harvey Sayer into the equation who was torturing his full back, and it could've been 5 or 6 before we'd even reached 30mins!

It wasn't just going forward Maldon were impressive though, defensively we nullified any threat East Thurrock managed to pose, Lance and Turps have formed a formidable tag team of late and with Cafu and Roberto Carlos -sorry, Benny and Kacy at full back all marshalled by reigning League Goalkeeper of the Year, Tommy Dixon-Hodge, and the Jammers have a great platform to build on at the back.

Just before half time, the game was put to bed. Campbell won yet another flick on, the goalkeeper seemed to have things under control until he collided with his defender. The ball broke loose and Kempy's continued hard work was rewarded as he closed down Thurrock defender Ben Steward's attempted clearance to roll the ball into an empty net.

Four- nil at half time and in truth, it flattered East Thurrock.

We picked up in the 2nd half where we left off in the 1st, and 2 minutes after the restart, Kempy nearly made it 5. Cutting in from the left hand side, he got a powerful shot away on his right foot that forced the goalkeeper into a smart save with his foot. All the joy was coming down the Thurrock left hand side and a couple of minutes later, Sayer flashed a cross across the box that just needed a touch from an attacker, but luck was on the hosts' side this time as it went out for a goal kick.

Thurrock started to work their way back into the game, Moses had a header cleared off the line by Kacy and not wanting to feel left out of the heroics, Tommy made an astonishing stop from a point blank range header. Diving away to his left, he threw a hand high above his to beat the ball away. It fell to a Thurrock man who headed high and wide. A combination of great goalkeeping and poor finishing ensuring the Jammers clean sheet remained intact.

That 10 minute spell for the home side was as good as it got and we soon regained the initiative. Harvey again left the Rocks defence for dead before flashing a shot just wide of the goal. If Thurrock thought they could rest with Campbell being withdrawn for Ronnie Bates, they were soon given a rude awakening. Pressing the Thurrock defence high up the pitch, he won the ball back, before squaring it to Kempy. His shot was blocked and fell to Laste who saw his effort go just the wrong the side of the post.

Still the Maldon chances came, Ronnie was looking to pick up his goal scoring from Tuesday night against Braintree. In quick succession, Harvey and Kempy had shots blocked before a diving header from Ronnie went wide.

Sayer's toil and trickery proved to be a worry for Thurrock until the last whistle. With 10 minutes left to play, he again beat the defence, but put his effort wide in what proved to be the last meaningful chance either side had as Maldon saw the game out.

There was still time, however, for Coombsey to bask in the glory of a wonder goal and great all round performance as he was replaced by Evan Collard with 7 minutes left.

The full time whistle bought the curtain down on a sensational afternoon for the Jammers and yet another large travelling contingent of fans gave the boys the rapturous reception they deserved.

The result lifts the Jammers to 17th place in the league, with New Salamis next up at the Home of Football on Saturday 19th November.