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Thurrock 1-1 Chelmsford City

Chelmsford City and Thurrock traded goals in the pulsating final five minutes of this Essex derby at Ship Lane, substitute Ricky Modeste's 85th-minute opener being cancelled out five minutes later by Fleet centre-half Rob Swaine as the second encounter between the two within eight days ended all-square.

Youngster Modeste came off the bench to give the Clarets what seemed to be another late victory over the Fleet but Hakan Hayrettin's hard-working side had the final say and Swaine guided a loose ball over the line with his head in the final minute, keeping Chelmsford in fourth place and Thurrock in sixth. City's Head Coach, Glenn Pennyfather, was naturally disappointed with the late concession but ultimately satisfied with his team's overall achievements over the hectic festive period.

"We were hoping it would be us as winners again today but fair play to Thurrock as they kept going and put us under pressure in the last five minutes," Pennyfather recalled, having seen his men grab a late win on Boxing Day. "It's the first goal we've conceded in a while and the boys are bitterly disappointed at that as we'd been seeing games out really well. They just didn't mark on the second phase and that lapse cost us, but that's football and on reflection it was a fair result as it was a game of very few chances."

Wins over Thurrock and Dover Athletic away have increased the Clarets' promotion credentials and Glenn believes his an defence has had a major part to play, claiming: "At the start of the season we were leaking goals from everywhere during open and set plays and individual errors cost us, meaning we had to score two to win. After this 20-game run we're more solid and our defenders have been excellent recently. That's including Steven Clark, Michael Haswell and Grant Cooper who we could still have all to come in."

City were unchanged to the starting eleven which began at Dover five days earlier, the only alteration coming on the substitutes' bench as defender Steven Clark replaced injured striker Antonio Murray. The start of the match was predictably feisty though with little end result until Rob Edmans held the ball up for the visitors on 18 minutes and enabled Matthew Lock to strike wide from the edge of the penalty area.

The main chances of the half trickled in as half-time approached and a free-header by Phil Anderson caused brief concern to Chelmsford goalkeeper Ashley Harrison on 39 minutes. Following this, Reiss Gilbey twice threatened for Thurrock as he firstly got close to a right-wing cross only for a Claret defender to intervene as he was poised to head into an empty net. He then struck again straight at Harrison while Marlon Patterson's curling free-kick at the other end scraped the post on its way wide on the whistle.

After the interval opportunities remained at a premium despite both sides' clear high effort levels, City's Dave Rainford dragging low at 'keeper Joe Woolley in the opening throws and Lock's low attempt on the hour mark also being collected by the home custodian. Around the middle of the half Ricky Holmes constructed a pair of chances from long range, the first causing Woolley some grief as he dived to push it wide.

Substitutions became the order of the day as time ticked along, both teams seeking that vital opening to sneak a win, and it was one of Chelmsford's that lead to first blood being taken by Pennyfather's team. Modeste had been on the pitch for little more than ten minutes when he latched onto a through ball and made no mistake in prodding wide of Woolley low into the net, scoring what appeared to be the clincher. However, this time it wouldn't be late points heading City's way as Thurrock pressure saw a ball stood-up to the far post where the grateful Swaine was situated to guide the ball over the line.

Having seemingly won the game on 85 minutes then seeing it snatched away again on 90 was frustrating, though Pennyfather happily reflected on another point towards his team's bigger picture, summarising: "We've taken seven points from nine over Christmas from three tough matches and we all would have taken the position we're in now. We couldn't hold on today but you have to work any disappointment into a positive manner. The togetherness of the players is excellent and they're all desperate for more success."

Thurrock 1-1 Chelmsford City

Saturday 2nd January 2010

Ship Lane, Kick-Off 3:00pm.

Referee: Ian Bentley.

Assistant Referees: Lloyd Wood and Constantine Hatzidakis.

Attendance: 826.

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