Great Wakering Rovers 0
Tilbury 1
Tilbury picked up their first win since November as an injury time Alex Clark strike secured a slender 1-0 victory over fellow Essex side Great Wakering Rovers.
It was a chaotic start at Burroughs Park with Tilbury almost taking the lead in less than ten seconds. From kick off the ball was played back to Chris Millar who, from inside his own half, saw Harry Fairs off his line and lumped the ball forwards towards the Wakering net. The back peddling Fairs was beaten but the 25 year old's effort came back off the crossbar much to the relief of the home faithful.
This near miss was followed up by further close opportunities for the visitors with Clark and Roman Michael-Percil both going close for the Dockers.
However Wakering responded with visiting goalkeeper Christian North being called into action just before the half hour mark. Concord Rangers loanee Jack Thompson was able to poke the ball out wide to Reece Stringer who burst into the penalty area and attempted to slot the ball beneath the keeper but North was able to save with his legs.
Tilbury were able to carve out two more opportunities just prior to the half's end. First of all after 38 minutes a cross to the near post by former Wakering winger Clark was spilt by Fairs allowing James Ewington to pounce onto the loose ball. However Fairs recovered quickly to deny Tilbury's new signing of a second goal in as many games.
Two minutes into first half stoppage time Scott Dash's side had a golden opportunity to break the deadlock that they failed to take. Harry Donovan and Clark played a neat one-two with the latter picking out the former in the centre, however unfortunately for Tilbury Donovan blazed his effort over from close range.
The second period started slowly but suddenly sparked into life in the 66th minute following two chances at both ends.
The first chance came for the visitors with a Rhamer Garrett-Doulgas throw picking out Millar who played a crossfield pass to Clark. The former Grays Athletic man burst into the Wakering penalty area and slotted the ball past Fairs, however Perry Dunn got back for the hosts to clear the ball off the line.
Rovers then responded themselves within a minute when an Adetayo Adedoja cross was cleared only as far as David Knight who rifled a volley just wide of the target.
As the game began to enter the final stages Tilbury started to dominate once more with Irishman Michael-Percil twice being denied by Fairs.
Despite this two minutes into injury time Clark came back to haunt his old club and steal the three points for Tilbury thanks to a well executed counter attack. North quickly threw the ball out wide to Millar who released Clark down the right hand side, and the Dockers' top scorer scampered away from Matthew Rose before breaking into the Wakering penalty area and slicing a cross that caught out Fairs - beating the goalkeeper at his near post. This strike was Clark's seventh of the season and his second against Great Wakering having also scored in the Velocity Cup against Rovers in October.
Despite conceding at such a late stage Rovers were still able to create one last chance to try and snatch a point. A long free kick forward from Sam Collins was flicked goalwards by Harrison Topliss. Unfortunately for Steve Roberts' men luck wasn't on their side and the ball bounced off the crossbar and behind for a goal kick - ensuring that Tilbury would keep their first clean sheet since they beat Bury Town 1-0 in October.
A tenth straight defeat for Great Wakering means Rovers are now 15 games without a win. On top of this Rovers remain just three points clear of bottom side Coggeshall Town. Furthermore a 1-0 score line means that this was the first time Wakering have failed to score against Tilbury since 2016.
Three points for the Dockers sees them leapfrog fellow Essex outfit Witham Town up to 15th in the Isthmian League North Division. A first win at Great Wakering since 2018 also means that Tilbury are now six games unbeaten against the men from Burroughs Park.
ATT: 112
Great Wakering Rovers: Fairs, Stringer (Matthews 73'), Rose, Cossington, Dunn, Topliss, Thompson, Collins, Lacey (Campbell 83'), Knight, Johnson (Adedoja 22')
Goals: N/A
Tilbury: North, Garrett-Douglas, Edwards (Whiteaker 25'), Hughes-Mason (Testolin 82'), Aahatise, Martin, Clark, Donovan (Jaggs 63'), Ewington, Millar, Michael-Percil
Goals: Clark 90+2
By Nathan Williams
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