Tilbury 0, East Thurrock United 4

EAST Thurrock were just a goal away from taking second spot in the Southern league Division One East after their emphatic derby triumph against lacklustre Tilbury at Chadfields on Tuesday.

However the victory will put them in good heart for Saturday's trip to second-placed Uxbridge on Saturday when victory will make the second automatic promotion spot their own.

Meanwhile bottom club Tilbury, supposedly bouyed by a four match unbeaten run, will be facing play-off contenders Maldon Town knowing they are very much in the last chance saloon after a thoroughly disappointing performance.

The only real surprise of Tuesday evening was that it took East Thurrock until the 29th minute to open the scoring.

Many chances, including two created by suicidal backpasses from Rio Alderton, went begging. One might well have resulted in a penalty, and probable dismissal of keeper Dave McCartney when he appeared to impede Vinnie John while trying to recover his teammate's error.

In the end it was youngster Jon Turnbull who showed his strikers how to convert by slamming home the ball with an angled drive from the edge of the box.

If Tilbury's spirit wasn't broken by Turnbull's goal, it crumbled just three minutes later when Lee Burns hoisted a harmless looking throughball up to his frontmen. The attempted pass was overhit and looked all the world to be destined for McCartney until it took a freak, looping bounced and sailed over the stranded keeper.

Tilbury managed to hold the deficit at two until the break and briefly flourished on the restart.

However, more lax defending gave the initiative to their visitors and when an incisive pass found John on the hour mark, the Rocks skipper made no mistake with a cool finish into the corner of the net.

By that time the match was over as a contest and East Thurrock could, and probably should have, grabbed the goals to move them into second spot.

The most notable chance came when substitute Keith Martin crashed a shot against the bar. In the end they had just one more goal to show for their dominance, when the hardworking home defender Colin Taylor conceded a 67th minute penalty to mar an otherwise creditable night for him and Scott Holding stepped up to crash the spot-kick home.

One more goal would have been enough to push East Thurrock above Uxbridge but it wasn't to be and Tilbury actually managed to finish with a flourish, Chris Soraindho hitting a post and Chima Eberendo being denied a most obvious penalty.

Those two late efforts apart, there was little else to inspire Tilbury followers, though defenders Ray Taylor and Marvin Neufville did deserve some praise for their hard work in adversity.

Despite their recent flurry of optimism, Dockers look doomed.

East Thurrock, on the other hand, can look forward to an exciting end of the season with promotion a real likelihood -- though they are bound to face much sterner tests than that posed by their neighbours in a disappointing derby that won't live long in the memory.