East Thurrock United 1-0 Hampton & Richmond Borough

From Rookery Hill

Ryman Premier League

 

MAX Cornhill marked his second home debut with a goal to hand East Thurrock United a vital win as they got their play-off ambitions back on track.

Cornhill rejoined the club at the start of the month, having left Conference National side Dartford.

And he marked his return to East Thurrock’s stomping ground with a goal eight minutes from time to hand John Coventry’s side their first win in five weeks.

Rocks went into the game without star striker Sam Higgins, who is the league’s top scorer and has scored 39 goals already this term.

The first-half was a tight affair, although Charlie Moone did come close on two occasions, with David Hughes coming to East Thurrock’s rescue with an impressive save.

Cornhill could have opened his account before the interval, but his header from a Tom Stephen free-kick went wide of the mark.

In the second-half, Lewis Smith was denied by Hampton stopper Seb Brown, although there were not many clear-cut chances.

In fact, the next chance was the goal. Ross Parmenter burst down the right and sent in a fantastic cross that was met by Cornhill, who this time got his header right and powered it into the net.

Rocks are now a point behind fifth-placed Met Police in the final play-off position.

 

East Thurrock United: Hughes, Sammons, Stephen, Wood, Goodacre, Parmenter, Gilbey, Cornhill, Osei (Phillips), Brown (Ruel), Smith