Waltham Abbey 0 Tilbury 0

TILBURY really needed the three points from Tuesday night's Essex Senior League clash at third placed Abbey but in the end had to settle for one, though right at the death Simon Deakin was inches away from getting the goal that would have won it.

Both sides had to make changes. Flu has hit the Waltham camp and they were without leading scorer Harry Elms while Tilbury had to put influential defender Courtney McLean on the bench as he arrived late.

Abbey were further hit when defender David Ayres limped off after just two minutes, to be replaced by Lee Codling.

The match was played out in a bitingly cold, swirling rainstorm that swept down the length of the pitch.

In the first half Tilbury had the weather at their backs and consequently dominated possession, though they did little with it.

Visiting keeper James Marrable was a virtual spectator as Dockers kept getting the ball back but goalscoring opportunities were few and far between.

The closest either side came to breaking the first deadlock was a strike by Danny McGoldrick on six minutes. He was teed up by Dave Webster's back-heel but blazed over when a shot on target would surely have scored.

In the second half Tilbury put up more resistance then their hosts and the game was a more even affair despite playing into the teeth of the gale.

Chances still remained rare but Waltham thought they had scored on 71 minutes. Bradley Smart fouled Tyrone Hercules 25 yards from goal and referee Mike Smith paced out the distance for the wall. As he turned after doing so James Elmes crashed a strike into the top corner.

Abbey thought they were onto a winner but Mr Smith disallowed the goal saying he hadn't blown but bizarrely restarted play with a goalkick. Find that in the rulebook if you can!

That looked to be it as far as incident was concerned but right at the death Tilbury's Ben Middlemass embarked on a strong run from his own half and slipped the ball to Deakin who drifted in on goal and clipped the ball past the keeper, only to see it role agonisingly just inches outside the post.