Thompson winner sets up Thurrock trip

Hornchurch set up an FA Trophy derby with near neighbours Thurrock after negotiating their replay against toothless Harrow at Bridge Avenue last night.

A 28th-minute header from Les Thompson, his first goal for the club, was both decisive and deserved against a shot-shy Harrow side that would have been beaten by more but for keeper Nick Pope.

The on-loan Charlton Athletic custodian had denied Thompson with a smart low save after the speedy winger bore down on goal from the right.

But he was beaten from a near impossible angle shortly before the half-hour mark as Lewis Smith centred from the left and Thompson stole in to somehow flick home a header at the near post.

Significant goal action was at a premium at the end of the opening period, and the start of the second, although Urchins appeared the only side concerned with making progress in the competition with home keeper Joe Woolley untested all evening.

Pope, meanwhile, had to tip over a Frankie Curley header from a Martin Tuohy centre on the hour and then stood up well to turn a drive from substitute Jonathan Hunt round his post.

Having created next to nothing all evening, Borough, whose manager Dave Anderson was sent to the stands by erratic referee Hatzidakis late on, forced a succession of late corners with the towering Pope joined a scrum of players in the mixer.

He actually connected with one of them too, deep into stoppage time – of which the fans had no idea how much due to no added time being transmitted to the sidelines – but after Woolley plunged on the ball on the line, a free-kick went Urchins’ way.

The game was up as Pope jogged back, and the fact he was Harrow’s most potent attacking threat on the evening pretty much summed things up.