Written by Claire Thatcher
Bruley from Box to Box! The Rocks Win 2–0!
East Thurrock Community FC made the short trip to Cressing and came away with a deserved 2–0 victory after a dominant display full of energy, teamwork and determination — capped off by a goalkeeper’s dream moment in stoppage time.
The Rocks started brightly, creating a number of early chances. Inside the opening ten minutes, a clever flick-on from Salter sent Tommy through on goal, only for his audacious chip to land on the roof of the net. Moments later, laughter echoed around the ground as a wayward header from the home defence struck a supporter’s car windscreen — the loudest cheer of the first half!
At the other end, Cressing’s number 10 found space on the penalty spot and tested Bruley with a low drive, but the Rocks’ stopper reacted sharply to push the ball wide.
The visitors continued to press and were unlucky not to score when Harry Prince unleashed a thunderous strike following a clever flick from Miles, but the Cressing goalkeeper produced an excellent reflex save.
The breakthrough finally came on 31 minutes. Miles capitalised on a loose ball in the box and squared across goal for Salter to tap home from close range, giving East Thurrock a deserved 1–0 lead.
Just a few minutes later, the match took a controversial turn when the Cressing number 9 was shown a straight red card. After throwing the ball to the ground in frustration, it bounced up and struck Zac in the face — a harsh decision that left both sides surprised.
East Thurrock controlled the second half, moving the ball confidently and creating several chances. Harry Daly came close to doubling the lead with a long-range strike that forced another good save, while substitute Owen Dixie slotted seamlessly into the midfield after replacing Prince on 65 minutes.
Despite dominating possession, the Rocks couldn’t find a second — Barnacle came closest late on after a defensive mix-up, only for the Cressing keeper to make a vital block with his foot.
Then, deep into added time, with the home side committing their goalkeeper forward for a corner, Bobby Reeman made a crucial goal-line clearance to keep The Rocks ahead. From the resulting play, Tommy Bruley collected the ball safely and launched it the length of the pitch — watching it bounce perfectly into the empty net to seal a memorable 2–0 victory for East Thurrock.
The win capped off a commanding performance and another step forward for a squad showing real togetherness and belief.
Full Time: Cressing 0–2 East Thurrock Community FC
Goals: Salter (31’), Bruley (90+6’)