Great Wakering Rovers 2 Tilbury 0

TILBURY'S perilous position at the foot of the Southern League Division One East now looks almost beyond redemption after Saturday's derby defeat at fellow strugglers Wakering, with the other drop-haunted sides also picking up valuable points.

This battle of the basement boys in front of a 142 crowd was never pretty in a near gale force wind which badly affected play, particularly in the first-half.

But that mattered little to the hosts, who were on top in the opening half with Brendan Walshe crashing a 13th-minute effort against the bar and Terry Harris worrying visiting goalkeeper Dave McCartney after 37 minutes, knocking the ball past the post when he ought to have done better.

Tilbury's attacking efforts in the first half were sporadic, but playing against the elements they were happy to go in with the scores level.

However they were given a rude awaking in the fourth minute of the second half when Nanu Badu, who had been caught yards offside countless times in the first half, finally sprang the visiting backline and raced through to plant the ball past Dave McCartney.

Three minutes later the Dockers spurned a fine equalising opportunity when on-loan Dagenham striker Matthew Judge sidefooted wide from a good position. As the minutes ticked away Tilbury switched to a three man attack and pressed hard for the equaliser which they probably deserved.

However they didn't show the finishing quality to capitalise on much industry and hard work and spurned several opportunities to shoot, trying instead to walk the ball in.

And they were caught cold a second time deep into injury time when Wakering sub Mike Shelley pounced amid a stretched defence to fire home the second.

It was rough justice on Tilbury, for whom Danny Cross was outstanding in defence, but their failings and lack of urgency in front of goal continue to haunt them.