Robbie Simpson’s third minute strike was enough to secure an incredible eighth away victory of the season for the resilient Lilywhites as they gained an important three points against a Thurrock side who started the day one point and one place behind them.

Colin McBride named the same starting line up which triumphed 2-0 against AFC Wimbledon in the FA Cup last Saturday. Goals from Jimmy McFarlane and Tresor Kandol securing a fourth straight win for the Essex club who included former Milton Road loanee Simon Martin amongst their substitutes.

For City, the 4-2 win at Tooting in the same competition came at a price with Jon Stevenson ruled out completely and Dale Binns only fit enough to make the bench. Robbie Simpon came in to partner Dave Sadler up-front and new loan signing Danny Talbot filled the left-sided midfield berth. Fit again goalkeeper Duncan Roberts returned after a six week absence at the expense of Alan Calton.

Simpson avoids a tackle before shooting home to give City the lead

Simpson wasted no time in marking his return to the starting XI by putting the gloss on a mesmeric City move that Thurrock simply could do nothing about such was the quality of the build-up and finish. Richard Scott picked up possession just inside the Thurrock half, there then came a seven pass move that cut through the Essex side like a hot knife through butter ending with Simpson avoiding the lunging tackle of Richard Goddard before drilling a low shot past Billy McMahon from 18 yards. The perfect start to what Gary Roberts had described pre-match as “the toughest test of the season so far”.

Five minutes on and City threatened to extend their lead. Tanacious work by Lee Chaffey on the flank forced Thurrock to concede a corner. Scott’s ball into the area was flicked on at the near post by Matt Langston but Dave Sadler, lurking at the back post, could not get sufficient force on his effort to worry McMahon. Sixty seconds later, Thurrock registered their first shot on goal, Lee Hodges wind assisted snap shot from some 40 yards flying wide with City Keeper Duncan Roberts seemingly unconcerned.

With the wind at their backs, Thurrock began to gain a foothold in procedings, forcing a number of corners which given David Collis’s accurate delivery and the strong, swirling wind, City did very well to withstand. It was from a Collis ball into the area following a partially cleared corner kick that Roberts produced one of a number of good stops. Tall striker Cliff Akurang cleverly found space between Glen Fuff and Matt Langston, the cross picked him out and Roberts did well to get down and block the strikers powerful downward header. City countered immediately and Sadler turned Goddard before cracking a shot goalwards that was well held by McMahon.

Collis used the conditions to draw another save from Roberts when he let fly with a free-kick from 35 yards. With the ball moving all over the place, the City keeper could only parry but Chaffey was on hand to clear the ball as it ran loose in the area.

Soon after, Thurrock where increasing the corner count again as another string of flag kicks tested City’s mettle. Roberts was called into action, tipping Akurangs rising shot from the edge of the area over the bar. Goddard then saw his deflected shot cleared skywards off the line by Pope, the ball dropping forTresor Kandol to attempt the spectacular but his overhead kick sailed well over the bar.

As the action swung from one end to the other, Talbot took advantage of a weak clearance following Langston’s free-kick to set up Simpson, but from a similar position to that from which he had scored, he pulled his shot wide.

Thurrock always looked dangerous when they had Hodges on the ball and it was he who almost opened City up with a clever clipped cross that swung dangerously into the area, as the City defence left it, Kandol slid in and only just failed to make contact.

Chaffey, who was having a great game, came to the fore on 36 minutes, rampaging in typical fashion down the left hand side to receive a lofted ball from Langston. The City full-back rifled a cross into the box that had the home defence at sixes and sevens, somehow it managed to reach Carl Williams on the far side untouched. After a short period of keep-ball from Williams, Thurrock eventually got the ball away but only as far as Langston who’s searching ball forward found Sadler who nodded down for Simpson to let fly, his effort whistling just wide.

Dave Sadler cuts inside Shane Thompson

As the half drifted towards the break, Thurrock pushed forward and Kandol showed good strength to shoulder Pope off the ball, bursting into the box his cross failed to find his strike partner Akurang who was unmarked, the ball dropping agonisingly out of his reach. Kandol was involved again a couple of minutes later as he just failed to connect as Collis swung the ball to the far post.

Gary Roberts withdrew Rob Miller at the interval due to a niggling groin strain, bringing Academy player Josh Simpson into central midfield. The teenager was soon in the thick of the action, linking up with namesake Robbie before side-footing wide of Billy McMahon’s goal from the edge of the box.

Thurrock hit back when Jimmy McFarlane laid a left wing throw into the path of Lee Hodges whose first time strike cannoned off the advertising boards to the left of Duncan Roberts.

Robbie Simpson, coming deep to good effect then collected the ball in centre field and stroked an accurate ground pass into Dave Sadler wide on the right. The former Hinckley striker’s purposeful run took him into the opposition box where he found Simpson who had continued his run after setting up the play, David Collis chased Simpson in grabbing at his shirt, the full-back eventually sliding in and taking the strikers standing foot as he shaped to shoot. It looked a cast iron case for a penalty but amazingly neither official seemed interested despite Simpson's protestations.

As the tricky Lee Hodges cut in from the left he was felled by a mis-timed Craig Pope challenge, a tackle which earned the City right-back a yellow card.

Good work by Carl Williams then earned the visitors a right-sided corner which was flighted in dangerously by the left-footed Talbot causing John Purdie to glance a clearing header narrowly wide of his own goal.

With the hosts offering little to suggest they would find a way back into the game Colin McBride made a double change just after the hour, David Collis and Martyn Lawrence making way for Mark Goodfellow and Kris Lee respectively.

Sadler and Simpson who showed a great understanding of each other’s game throughout then combined to free Danny Talbot through the inside left channel but his path to goal was blocked by Goodfellow.

Simpson was in the thick of the action again in City’s next attack, receiving Richard Scott’s intelligent pass before shooting on the turn, but McMahon saved comfortably.

City then had the chance to put the game beyond doubt when Richard Scott’s perfectly placed left wing corner found Dave Sadler unmarked at the far post but the prolific striker was uncharacteristically off target with a header.

Charlie Williams shows his usual tenacity on the wing

As Thurrock attempted to turn the screw in the closing stages much-travelled midfielder Lee Hodges became increasingly influential and his telling right wing cross on 77 minutes found Tresor Kandol but the power of the former Luton striker’s header was not matched by its direction and the ball flew wide of the target.

Hodges then hit a deep centre from the right which Roberts mis-judged, getting right under the ball he allowed Kandol, who had raced into the far post, a free header but again the ten goal marksman was wide of the mark.

With less than ten minutes remaining Hodges certainly hadn’t given up the chance of salvaging the game. A probing ball through the inside right channel sailed over the City back-line who has stepped up to deny Thurrock space. The defenders expected Roberts to come and tidy up behind them but the giant custodian stayed rooted to his line allowing Kandol to pounce. The former Newport stopper belatedly came to collect but only succeeded in tangling untidily with Kandol, a challenge which saw the striker go to ground amidst strong claims for a penalty. With the Lilywhites travelling support expecting the worst Mr Briffitt (who looked to be well placed to see the incident) waved away the protests of the home side and allowed play to continue.

Colin McBride’s final throw of the dice saw Shane Thompson make way for Ryan Kirby but the City rearguard, superbly marshalled by the dominant pairing of Glen Fuff and Matt Langston held firm and with both full-backs, Craig Pope and Lee Chaffey sticking resolutely to their respective tasks they ensured that Duncan Roberts was thoroughly protected.

There was always a chance that the Lilywhites might snatch a second on the break and with only a couple of minutes to go Mr Briffitt further angered the locals by getting in the way in centre field and presenting the ball to Josh Simpson who released Robbie Simpson allowing the City goal scorer to slide a pass behind the Thurrock defence and into the path of Sadler who fired across the face of goal.

A final scare for the visitors saw the Ship Lane side work a short corner to Hodges who found the towering McFarlance but his powerful header was blocked from point blank range. City played out the remaining moments without further alarm before Mr Briffitt brought a rain soaked, wind lashed but highly satisfactory afternoon to a close.