Blue Square Conference South Tuesday 15 April 2008 - Twerton Park - kick off 7.45pm

Report taken from

It was Thurrock who launched the first attack of the night, with captain Lee Flynn forcing Paul Evans into an early diving save. Gilroy and Truro target Phillip Walsh both wriggled beyond the visiting back-line soon afterwards to no avail before a knock-down from the latter caused Kenny Clark to make a rash clearance that went behind for the game's first corner but almost ended up in his own net. But the visitors had pockets of pressure in an untidy opening to the game, with an inswinging left-wing corner from Matt Bodkin flashing across the face of goal to the relief of the home defence. Holland flicked a header wide from Matt Coupe's deep free-kick and Adie Harris saw a first-time effort from 20 yards held by keeper David Blackmore as City tried to get a grip on proceedings and they gradually wore the Essex side down. Aaron Ledgister went close just after the half hour, skipping past two challenges on the left of the area and drilling in a low shot that Blackmore got a hand to before Matt Paine hacked the loose ball away. But Thurrock didn't survive for long and it was Ledgister who laid on the opening goal of the game on 32 minutes. Gethin Jones won a corner on the right and Holland rose unmarked to power the on-loan Cheltenham youngster's delivery into the roof of the net. It was the goal City, and the game, desperately needed and sparked a heated discussion in the Thurrock defence, with Flynn and teammate Phil Anderson earning a lecture from referee Kevin Johnson. Thurrock forced a corner from the restart, which saw Bai Mas Lettejallow bring out a save from Evans after City only half cleared their lines. Steve Jones' first-time ball to Ledgister on the left sparked another attack four minutes before the break and the winger rode Paine's hefty challenge before setting up Walsh, whose side-footed effort flew just wide. Foley had a quiet first half, but ended it with a scintillating run down the left that ended in a teasing cross to Walsh. The big striker, who destroyed Thurrock in November's FA Trophy meeting and was again proving a real handful for the visiting defence, headed towards Gilroy but the top-scorer could only divert the ball wide.

The second period started in low-key fashion, with City showing little urgency for a second goal to begin with and Thurrock seemingly content to attack on the break. Foley won and then struck a 25-yard free-kick into the Thurrock wall before shooting wide after another burst from midfield, before Jim Rollo almost marked his 300th game for the club with an own goal, putting too much weight onto a header back to Evans and looking on anxiously as it cleared the keeper and skimmed the top of his net. But City were able to breathe easy when Gilroy put them 2-0 up in the 63rd minute with his 23rd goal of the season. Blackmore looked to be favourite when the impressive Walsh knocked a ball behind the Thurrock defence, but seemed to freeze on the spot and the striker shrugged off his challenge before firing home despite the best efforts of a covering defender. Seven minutes later, Gilroy doubled his tally from the penalty spot. Ledgister was chopped down by Kenny Clark as he cut in from the left and Gilroy stepped up to score in customary fashion, rolling the ball to Blackmore's left with the keeper going the wrong way. Sekani Simpson replaced a tiring Foley and almost scored in fortuitous circumstances with his first touch, a wayward cross from the right which bounced off the top of the bar and away to safety. Thurrock substitute Daniel Tenkorang saw a shot across the face of goal palmed away by Evans, but City were attacking at will and Blackmore parried a Walsh shot behind after a great run down the right from Simpson. Gilroy passed up a glorious chance to complete his fifth hat-trick of the season with five minutes to go, diverting substitute Jason Wood's cross-shot against the bar from inside the six-yard box and with an empty net to aim at. Thurrock then claimed a crumb of consolation for their long trip home when they netted against the run of play in the last minute, becoming only the eighth away side to score in the league at Twerton Park this season when Anderson nodded a left-wing cross into the far corner of Evans' net. City ended the game on the front foot, though, and Gilroy again went close to grabbing his third and City's fourth with a shot on the turn that was deflected wide.