If you can go 12 games unbeaten in the first half of the season then why not in the second?

That will be the message at East Thurrock after the end - and what an end - to their impressive record.

It can't be that often that a team has lost such a record with a thumping 4-0 home defeat.

In the losers' defence it has to be said that Banstead are a decent Ryman Two side. They did after all beat Rocks on the season's opening day and also defeat Ringmer who had ended East Thurrock's interest in the FA Vase.

But Banstead were to lose the corner count by an emphatic 11-0, but of course if you can't score then you don't win games.

The league leaders are not a prolific-scoring team and rarely looked all that threatening. Now they have to regroup and quickly, although a local derby on Boxing Day at Tilbury isn't the ideal place to start.

Saturday's visitors had begun the brighter but the first-half iwas generally short of goalmouth action.

The only notable moment came in the 21st minute when Jason White did a reasonable Fabien Barthez impression when putting a goal-kick straight to David Moore, who took it on a few yards before dispatching the ball beyound the Rocks goalkeeper.

East Thurrock dominated the second period although created only a couple of scoring opportunities.

As they pushed ever forward to rescue a undefeated run that had started on the first Saturday of October, gaps were left at the back.

Banstead's pace on the break proved deadly and three goals in one-on-one situations with White.

Wesley O'Connor raced through unattended after 75 minutes; Bobby George had a clear 40-yard run for the third five minutes later; Gary Whelan rounded things off in the third minute of added-time after cutting out a poor crossfield pass.

Published Tuesday December 18, 2001