East Thurrock Utd 0, Concord Rangers 1 (From Echo)

East Thurrock Utd 0, Concord Rangers 1

9:25am Wednesday 29th April 2009 in Sport By Dick Marshall

CONCORD Rangers’ longest-serving player, Danny Heale, is the daddy of them all.

Four days after his partner Emma presented him with a daughter Millie, Heale was last night the toast of Thames Road.

For he took the Canvey-based side through to a play-off final at Waltham Abbey on Saturday with the only goal of the game after 40 minutes in this semi-final thriller at Rookery Hill.

But Canvey’s joy was in sharp contrast to the misery of hosts East Thurrock United.

A total of 845 fans had packed into their Rookery Hill ground on Saturday expecting to see them beat Aveley and claim the title and only automatic promotion spot.

But, after having two penalties saved, they lost 3-2 and, with Millers going up, had to be content with a play-off spot – despite being the highest scorers throughout the Ryman set-up with 112 goals.

And now, as so often happens in play-offs, the lesser fancied teams have won through – and Rocks’ hopes of regaining their Premier status at the first attempt have gone up in smoke Waltham Abbey, who finished fourth, went to third-placed Brentwood last night in the other semi-final and won 4-1 thanks to goals from Aaron Gayle (2), Harry Elmes and Mark Sontag and were only able to reply with a consolation Danny Glozier effort.

But it’s Concord who are the real surprise package, making the play-off final in their first season at Ryman level after winning the Essex Senior League crown last term.

The night was one of immense pride for Concord’s joint managerial team of Danny Cowley and Danny Scopes.

And soccer fans on the island will be hopeful that lightning strikes twice in the same place in Saturday’s play-off final.

For last season on the corresponding weekend Canvey Island, after finishing fifth, went to Redbridge in the play-off final and won promotion after a tremendous penalty shoot-out.