EAST THURROCK UTD 4, ALDERSHOT TN 0

EAST Thurrock knocked Aldershot out of the FA Trophy for the second successive season as an injury-ravaged Shots side capitulated in Essex.

Gary Waddock may have been missing five key players, but – even though only able to name three substitutes, including goalkeeper Lewis Ward and 17-year-old Matt Bozier – his starting XI should still have had the quality to at least compete against a team labouring in tenth place in National League South.

In reality, the Rocks were gifted victory as Tom Richardson plundered a 21-minute hat-trick and, after a promising start, the visitors faded horribly.

“I’m bitterly disappointed,” said a subdued Waddock. “We were nowhere near good enough, we didn’t defend well enough, and it’s an unacceptable display. The first goal was always key, as it gave them something to hold on to, but the scoreline tells you all you need to know about our performance.”

Aldershot had enjoyed the better of the opening quarter, with wingers Bernard Mensah and Bobby-Joe Taylor prominent, and Adam McDonnell, Jim Kellermann and Taylor himself shooting from distance.

But when Thurrock began to take the game to the opposition, the Shots’ midfield again failed to exert its usual strength and guile.

“We can’t even fill the bench, we’ve got lads who are being ill at half-time, another player pulled out last night, we’ve got loads of injuries, and we’re putting players back in the team who are not 100 per cent fit,” explained the Shots boss. “We haven’t got a striker or a left-back, but having said that we had good enough players out there today to be able to get a result.”

As East Thurrock grew bolder, Reece Harris had a free-kick saved by Jake Cole and three quick corners put the Aldershot defence under genuine pressure.

The game, though, appeared to swing on two incidents just seconds apart. Lukas Lidakevicius reacted well to parry Shamir Fenelon’s header at point-blank range and, within a minute, the hosts snatched a 32nd-minute lead.

The dangerous Lewis Smith hit an angled drive which rebounded down off the underside of the crossbar and off Cheye Alexander into the net. It was a moment of good fortune for the Rocks, and they took full advantage.

Cole produced a brilliant save to tip Ryan Sammons’ swerving 25-yard shot onto the bar, while Max Cornhill was profligate in heading straight at Cole from eight yards.

Waddock switched to three at the back soon after half-time, but the game was soon put beyond the labouring visitors. On 49 minutes, Richardson exposed their frailties by racing in behind the defence to slot the ball under Cole and into the net.

Kellermann and the pacey Fenelon briefly threatened for the Shots before Richardson notched his second with a virtual carbon-copy of his first, being allowed to beat Cole all too easily.

Richardson completed his hat-trick in style, barging Kodi Lyons-Foster off the ball as they challenged for a high pass into the box and skipping around Cole to seal a famous victory.

East Thurrock had been ruthless and their tactics worked to perfection against Waddock’s high defensive line. Aldershot – so impressive just a couple of weeks ago – appear in dire need of both reinforcements and a dash of confidence ahead of a tough Christmas schedule which could make or break their season.

The Shots – still in the play-off zone – travel to struggling Guiseley this Saturday and then host Woking in a Boxing Day local derby (ko 3pm).

East Thurrock: Lidakevicius, Burns, Sammons, Clark, M Expetita, Harris, White (Allen 58), Cornhill, Richardson (Honesty 84), Smith (C Expetita 69), Agyemang. Subs (not used): Peddie, Knott.

Aldershot: Cole; Alexander, Evans, Fowler, McDonnell; Oyeleke (Lyons-Foster 48), Gallagher; Taylor, Kellermann, Mensah; Fenelon. Subs (not used): Ward, Bozier.

Attendance: 252.

• Aldershot goalkeeper Mark Smith has extended his loan spell at Eastbourne Borough until January 13. He has made five appearances for the Sports and helped them to three victories and a draw in that time.

He will now be eligible for a further six games, including Saturday’s FA Trophy tie against Dover Athletic.