East Thurrock United 2-5 Braintree Town

(Higgins 50’ (p), 90’: Cheek 39’, 45’, 46’, Midson 60’, Barnard 75’)

From the Frost Financial Stadium

FA Trophy second round

EAST Thurrock United’s FA Trophy dream was comprehensively ended as a Michael Cheek inspired Braintree Town ran riot.

The Iron were 5-2 winners in the second qualifying round, with Cheek scoring a hat-trick against their opponents, a division below them in the football pyramid.

With £6,000 up for grabs, the incentive could not have been greater but neither side could get control of the opening exchanges.

Chez Isaac headed over his own crossbar as East Thurrock turned up the pressure and it took a tremendous save to keep it goalless after 17 minutes.

Reece Harris cut inside and bent a shot at goal, with just Sam Beasant’s brilliant save ensuring parity, diving to his right to tip the effort to safety.

The National League side had not created any clear-cut chances with half time fast approaching but they only needed one chance to take the lead.

Ben Marlow committed a foul 25 yards out and Cheek’s free-kick was powerfully struck out of goalkeeper Lukas Lidakevicius’ reach.

And on the stroke of half-time it was 2-0. Cheek charged down an attempted clearance from Lidakevicius and rolled the ball into an empty net.

Tom Wraight had time to hit the bar before the interval but 60 seconds into the second half it was game over.

James Walker failed to keep possession on halfway and Cheek was played through, rounding Lidakevicius to complete his hat-trick.

Rocks weren’t giving up and, on 50 minutes, were handed a route back into the game.

A handball in the penalty area gave Sam Higgins the chance to reduce arrears from the penalty spot, and he did so with aplomb.

The usually clinical Higgins slashed wildly off target while Cheek had a fourth disallowed following a foul in the build-up.

Isaac’s drive was parried away but Rocks were struggling to match their opponents as the half wore on.

Former Southend United striker Lee Barnard climbed off the substitutes bench to add his name to the scoresheet, steering the ball out of reach from 12 yards with a first-time finish.

Higgins headed home his second of the match in injury time but the match had been decided long before that.

East Thurrock United: Lidakevicius, Burns, Nesbitt (Honesty), Clark, Ellul, Wood (Craddock), Harris, Marlow, Higgins, Walker (Gardner), Wraight