Chelmsford City 1–0 East Thurrock United

(Dickson 45’)

From the Weston Homes Community Stadium

Essex Senior Cup final

A GOAL on the stroke of half-time was enough for Chelmsford City to see off the challenge of East Thurrock United in the Essex Senior Cup final.

Chris Dickson smashed home seconds before the interval to end a poor first-half, although both sides had chances after the break, with both goalkeepers coming to the fore.

Rocks, in their first ever Essex Senior Cup final, had the first attempt of the match with three minutes on the clock.

A deep cross found Tom Wraight but his header was comfortable for goalkeeper Ross Fitzsimons.

Moments later Kane Haysman drilled a shot wide of the near post in an even opening 20 minutes.

Chances were few and far between, with defences coming out on top. The loudest cheer of the first 30 minutes came from the Rocks supporters, when Haysman was shown a yellow card for his second foul of the evening.

Chelmsford Weekly News:

Causing trouble - Reece Harris looked lively in the first-half

Chris Bush hammered a long range free-kick over the crossbar, with Dickson also wildly off target as the Clarets continued to toil in front of goal.

But a neat move on the stroke of half-time put the Clarets ahead.

Bush sprayed a superb 40-yard pass to the right hand side to Robbie Willmott.

And the winger’s cross was inch perfect for the run of Dickson who shot into the roof of the net from on the goal line.

Into the second period, Haysman’s mazy run ended with a shot across goalkeeper Lukas Lidakevicius and wide of the far post.

Lidakevicius was almost beaten once again soon after, with Willmott’s deep cross headed against his far post by Shaun Jeffers.

Chelmsford Weekly News:

Threat - Ben Marlow sent a last minute volley over the crossbar

Sam Higgins saw a powerful strike deflected narrowly wide of the post 10 minutes in the first half with his first clear sight of goal.

The striker then slammed a strike down the throat of Fitzsimons, with the stopper than flinging himself to his right to deny Ryan Sammons a wonderful goal from long range.

Substitute Elliott Buchanan sent a strike that was comfortable for Lidakevicius, with Higgins again the biggest threat up the other end.

First the striker was denied low down by Fitzsimons and the forward could only direct the follow-up into the side-netting.

A flurry of changes followed but chances did not, with Ben Marlow's volley over the top the closest either side came, as Chelmsford held on to lift the cup aloft.

Chelmsford City: Fitzsimons, Miller, Blanchett (Porter 68’), Rees, Bush, Hill, Willmott, Church, Jeffers (Buchanan 63’), Dickson, Haysman (Daley 82’)

East Thurrock United: Lidakevicius, Sammons (Osifuwa 77’), Ruel (Honesty 77’), Peddie, Burns, Wood (Freiter 85’), Harris, Marlow, Higgins, Craddock, Wraight