Report
Forest can be justly proud of this Trophy draw after a second half, backs to the wall, battling display against high flying East Thurrock. If they could have this much belief in their playing abilities when they play in League matches, they would be right at the top. The Stags were down to nine men for the most of the second half but were never going to give up.
Forest were a depleted side with three first choice players out. Pasa Karubulut was brought into midfield for his first start of the season and ken Charlery brought his experience to the front line.
Right from the start East Thurock pushed the home side into the midfield area but the home defence coped well with the long ball searching for Vinnie John up front.
The Stags almost drew first blood on thirteen minutes when Charlery forced his way into the penalty area and down to the edge of the six yard box. He cut the ball back but a defender seemed to cut the ball out with his hand. The refereee was having none of it and gave a corner.
The first half was all about resilience in defence and attacking on the break after Dewayne Clarke had put the Stags ahead after 14 minutes heading home from a Carl Ashton free kick after Karabuklut had ben taken down on the edge of the East Thurrock penalty area. He climbed above the Rocks’ defence and headed back across the goal to leave a surprised Mark Hardingham to pick the ball out of the net.
East Thurrock forced forward from the restart and Nick Cowley could have put the Rocks back on equal terms but decided to shoot into the side netting instead after Gavin King had cut down the angle. The Rocks kept the game in Forest’s half but always looked shaky in defence, their ‘keeper Mark Hardingham having to make two more fine saves from Clarke.
The pressure told after 44 minutes when the Rocks won a corner. Vinny John rose at the back post to head home the equaliser with their first attempt on target. A somewhat easy goal as he had been left unmarked.
The second half was a game of a different complexion with the only chances falling to the Stags for the first 20 minutes of the half. Forest had decided not to rest on the one goal and went looking to increase the lead but the attacking play could not last after Clarke had been sent off for retaliation having been badly mauled by the Rocks’ defence for most of the game and getting no protection from the referee Mr Belbin and his assistant somehow failed to see the attempted head butt by the East Thurrock defender but had a perfect view of Clarke’s attempted return. Mr Belbin had no choice in sending off Clarke but needs to take a lot of the blame for the situation that led up to it and for not sending of the Rocks man at the same time.
Before this the Stags were unlucky not to go further ahead when their front men forced Scott Holing into an awful headed clearance which just missed going into the right corner of the goal. On 65 minutes, John found himself free at the far post but this time headed wide rather than give the Rocks the lead.
Within a couple of minutes the Stags were down to nine men: Cashman having been sent off for reacting badly to an Assistant Referee’s decision. This was a silly sending off from Cashman’s point of view as he should have kept his head rather than petulantly throwing the ball towards an assistant then questioning the parentage of both officials. Mr Belbin had no choice on this one.
From then it was all about defending the result which the Stags did impressively holding the Rocks to only a few tame shots for the rest of the game.
Mr Belbin did his bit to increase the pain by playing seven minutes of time added on (I’m certain it was justified just as ending the first half 10 seconds early was). Ken Charlery and other cool heads took the ball to the corner flag and kept it there. As he pressure piled on the Rocks had two further shots from which King had to be on their toes. Finally, the game ended with the Stags showing just how strong they could be in adversity.