Tilbury 0 Lowestoft Town 2

The previously undefeated Ryman Division One North side were no match for their Premier Division visitors and rarely carried any threat to the Trawlerboys goal.

With Jake Jessup injured Lowestoft were able to welcome back Andy Reynolds after injury but were without the injured pair of Lee Smith and Dale Cockrill, Andrew Fisk and Michael Frew deputising.

In blistering heat it took Lowestoft just 4 minutes to open the scoring. The impressive Frew sent an excellent cross field ball to Joe Francis wide on the left. The winger took the ball forward to the byeline and from his cross Jack Defty’s powerful header was only parried by James Marrable and Frew pounced to send the loose ball back into the net.

Almost immediately Tilbury were unlucky not to level the scores as slack defensive play let Conor Mead send in a cross for Emiel Aiken to power in a header from 6 yard which smacked into the face of Reynolds, the ball spiralling up and over the bar.

Lowestoft took a firm grip on the game dominating possession and playing the ball around well but could not find the second goal. A quick Dan Gleeson free kick sent Frew away but he hit the side netting. After his early lapse Marrable was having an excellent game pulling off good saves to thwart Francis, Frew and Chris Henderson twice.

As the first half came to an end Defty saw his header from Stuart Ainsley’s cross dip just over the cross bar and a volley from a Henderson cross fly high over the top.

The second half continued in a similar vein with Henderson setting up Gleeson whose low shot from the edge of the area passed though a crowded goal mouth and just past the far post.

With the heat making a telling c0ontribution the tempo of the game fell in the second period but it still seemed just a matter of time before Lowestoft would increase their lead. A 25 yard Scott Mitchell free kick hit the bar and rebounded down onto the keeper’s head and back onto and over the bar but from an identical free kick from almost the same spot moments later Lowestoft did get their second goal in the 74th minute. This time Mitchell’s free kick header for the other corner of the net to leave Marrable well beaten.

As with the first goal the Trawlerboys switched off and allowed Tilbury a great chance to get back into the game. Aaron Matthews was left with a gaping goal after being set up by Aiken but he blazed wildly high over the bar and missed another chance shortly afterwards.

Lowestoft finished the game on top again with Danny Cunningham being denied a goal with his first touch as his shot was turned onto the outside of the post by Marrable who then denied Defty a well deserved goal from the last attack of the game.

TEAMS:

TILBURY: Marrable, Pooley, Waters (Sub Matthews 50), King, Nightingill (sub Crooks 74), Mead (Sub Hooper 71), Smith, Small, D Francis, Aiken, Wraight, Subs (not used) Durran, Webb, Aldwinckle>

LOWESTOFT TOWN: Reynolds, Gleeson, Ainsley, Fisk, Crane, Gaughran, Henderson, Mitchell, Defty (Sub Stone 87), Frew, Francis (Sub Cunningham 83), Subs (not used) Jones, Eagle, Saker, Okay.

Attendance: 135

Terry Lynes