Uxbridge 3, Tilbury 1

ANOTHER bad day at the office for Tilbury, compounded by the fact that relegation rivals Erith and Belvedere pulled off the result of the day, drubbing league leaders Fisher 3-1.

That was a result that delighted Tilbury's close neighbours East Thurrock, whose title hopes will have risen enormously without even playing, but for Dockers there seems little ahead but the inevitable confirmation of relegation.

While club officials insist nothing is over until it's mathematically certain Tilbury are now nine points behind third from bottom Erith with a massively inferior goal difference. Only the most optimistic of Dockers fans can see a route to safety with just 11 matches remaining.

Tilbury approached Saturday's trip to third-placed Uxbridge with a game plan based around denying their hosts scoring opportunities, packing five across midfield in front of what looked a strong back four.

However individual errors have dogged the Dockers of late and when normally reliable keeper Dave McCartney spilled a low near-post cross on nine minutes, Uxbridge's most influential player, Mark Nicholls was on hand to prod the ball home. McCartney was injured in the scramble to recover his error and required several minutes of treatment.

He looked uncomfortable when play resumed and Nicholls, who numbers Chelsea and Grimsby among his clubs in a much travelled carer made sure the keeper's discomfort was permanent with a late, malicious challenge well after the ball had gone a few minutes later.

Nicholls, who only rejoined Uxbridge this month in a bid to strengthen their faltering challenge for automatic promotion, appeared to have made a deliberately calculated attempt to inure McCartney and should surely have received a red card for a late and blatant challenge witnessed by both linesman, who flagged vigorously, and the referee. The ref totally bottled the issue by failing to consult his linesman, who was closest, and only cautioned the Uxbridge man.

It was an act of weakness on his part, compounded by later errors that saw him condemned by both sides afterwards as one of the poorest officials they had seen this season.

For the rest of the half Tilbury rode their luck a little as Nicholls commanded play from midfield and set up innumerable attacks, particularly down the right flank.

Tilbury chances were few and far between, though John Purches did get in one strike and Callam Ware, ploughing a low furrow up front, made life uncomfortable for the Uxbridge back line.

The Dockers would have been pleased to get into the dressing room and reorganise for a second half assault in search of one goal, but in the last minute of the half, as has become the norm in recent games, they conceded another goal when another new Uxbridge signing, Daniel Fisher rose virtually unmarked to head home. McCartney, obviously hampered by his injury, would normally have come for the cross but the legacy of Nicholls' nasty foul brought his side rich reward.

After the break Tilbury opted for a more attacking formation, pushing Bradley Walsh further up front alongside Ware and they certainly had more of the game. However midway through the half Tilbury hopes were extinguished when, from a long punt up-field, Andy Campbell benefited from a lucky break but required no further luck, showing skill and composure as he lifted the ball over the stranded McCartney.

The introduction of debutants Darryl Roach and Steve Brown gave renewed impetus to Tilbury in the closing stages and with a few minutes remaining Ware got reward for his hard work by prodding the ball home from close range after good work by Keith Wilson.

It was scant consolation for the Dockers, who might even have had another in the last minute but Ware failed to net the second time and soon afterwards Tilbury were on the way home with their tail between their legs and in need of a footballing miracle.