East Thurrock United were too strong for ‘The Ambers’ as they progressed through to the FA Trophy 2nd Qualifying Round on a bitterly wet day at Theobald’s Lane.
Alex Clark and Frankie Merrifield put the visitors two up inside the first 11 minutes, while a Sean Cronin header in added time at the end of the game was too little too late, as Cheshunt’s FA Trophy adventure ended at the first hurdle.
New signings Ryan Moss and Bobby Mills both were handed their debut’s by Craig Edwards, while Lewis Chambers came in for his first start.
Caught Out
Cheshunt got the game underway in the driving rain at Theobald’s Lane, but East Thurrock were on top from the off, they won the ball high up the pitch, with Alex Clark skipping down the right flank and cutting in, then firing a low shot past Harry Girling at his near post to give the visitors a very early lead.
Things got even worse for Cheshunt, who could barely get a foot in for the first ten minutes. Mitch Gilbey glanced a header wide from a superb ball, but they weren’t to be denied for too long as Gilbey again danced through the Ambers defence to square for Frankie Merrifield who notched the second to put the visitors in cruise control.
Gilbey and East Thurrock weren’t done there, as the danger man smashed a scorching free kick off the bar from 25 yards as the visitors came within an inch of a third.
Cheshunt finally had a couple of chances midway through the first 45, with Ryan Moss and Bobby Mills both lashing over within a couple of minutes of each-other after getting into good positions.
The Ambers had their best opening of the half, when Mills broke down the left, squared for Moss who rolled his man superbly, but his effort smashed off the upright as he came within a whisker of a debut strike.
Shortly after, the visitors had the final chance of the half and it was another clear chance when Mo Camara was found by a Freddy Moncur corner, but his header was straight at Jack Giddens in the visitor’s goal.
Uphill Struggle
Craig Edwards made a double roll of the dice at half time to try and haul ‘The Ambers’ back in it, with Joe Re and Sean Cronin entering the fray, in-place of Dan Akindayini and Taylor McKenzie.
East Thurrock seemed to be cruising through the second half and had a couple of chances to put the game fully to bed, with Ben Marlow dragging a low shot wide, and Merrifield shooting straight at Girling, with the shot stopper denying Merrifield again with an excellent one on one save.
The two half time Cheshunt subs soon were to have a say on the second half, Sheehan hacked the ball behind for a corner and as the clock struck 90 mins, re-floated in a superb corner right onto the head of Cronin who beat his man to power home at the back post to pull one back for the Ambers going into stoppage time.
A 2-1 defeat for Cheshunt as they sadly left it too late as The Ambers slumped to another defeat.
They await the visit of Lewes next week in league action.
Picture courtesy of Local Bus Driver (flickr)
