Chelmsford City moved into second place in the Blue Square Bet South in torrentially wet conditions at Ship Lane as striker Michael Bakare and substitute Craig Parker maintained their excellent form in front of goal and consigned basement club Thurrock to defeat on their own patch.

The Clarets extended their lengthy unbeaten away league record and jumped above Welling United, who play on Monday, keeping the heat on leaders Woking. Bakare netted with ten minutes of the first half left while Parker added a clincher four minutes from time and Pennyfather was enthused with their local derby showing.

He said: “It was another tough game, with an opportunist first goal where Michael’s outmuscled a couple of defenders and found the net. In the second half we defended well and the back four, with Stuart in goal, have kept another clean sheet. I’d changed the formation slightly to put two in the middle of the park and swapped it back for the last 15, knowing we could counter. The second goal was fully deserved.”

Sam Corcoran, one of three players sent off in the Boxing Day clash as two Thurrock players also saw red, missed this game through illness while Parker assumed a place on the substitutes’ bench as Glenn changed to a 4-4-2 formation. To replace them came two other forward-thinking players in Bakare and Tosan Popo.

Goalmouth action in the first half was limited as the sides fought for midfield scraps. The ball fell to City’s Kezie Ibe on a few occasions though he was thwarted by awkward bounces or the offside flag. In one of those attacks, on 16 minutes, his effort deflected off defender Luke I’Anson into the arms of goalkeeper Craig Holloway.

However, the visitors opened the scoring when Thurrock left-back Nathan Ashton, one of those dismissed at Melbourne, tried to shepherd a 35th-minute pass out for a goal kick. He failed, and when he was robbed of the ball Bakare turned in the box, fended off the attentions of several opponents and rolled into the net.

At the interval an already soggy surface was lambasted by a powerful downpour which continued into the second period, making for an untidy encounter. Ahmed Deen, who caused the Clarets a few problems in the reverse fixture, did so again a minute into the half while ex-Thurrock stalwart Kenny Clark found the side netting at the other end on 53 minutes when he received a nifty back-heeled lay-off.

Towards the middle of the half the game opened up a little, with the hosts knowing they needed a goal. This meant they were susceptible to being hit on the break and a decent move derived from some neat Bakare footwork which found Ibe. He, in turn, fed Max Cornhill though the youngster hit his shot straight at Holloway.

Thurrock weren’t without their own opportunities but former Clarets striker Lee Boylan and Alex Osborn were both guilty of squandering guilt-edged chances. The latter initially threatened on 66 minutes and Boylan was unsuccessful with the rebound as he watched it sailed over the bar, later striking another free kick into the defensive wall.

Chelmsford punished them in the strongest possible way as they extinguished any hope of a leveller with a late strike of their own. Fellow replacement Cliff Akurang, another inspirational figure in Fleet history, was involved in the build-up and the ball fell to Parker, who rolled over the line in off the left-hand post. Pennyfather reinforced his delight at having options in reserve who could make such an impact.

“I was pleased to see the new boys involved as well,” he added. “Tosan came in and was playing in an alien position as the tackles were flying in but he’s an intelligent player who offers us something different. Kevin came on and showed the commitment and desire needed by the players I bring into the team. We’ve gained maximum points from Christmas, after a busy period just before, and now focus on Sutton United.”

City:

1 Stuart Searle
2 Justin Miller
3 Aiden Palmer
4 Adam Tann
5 Kenny Clark
6 David Rainford (C)
7 Warren Whitely
8 Tosan Popo
9 Kezie Ibe
10 Max Cornhill
11 Michael Bakare
12 Cliff Akurang (On for Ibe, 67)
14 Mark Haines
15 Kevin McLeod (On for Popo, 88)
16 Ben Nunn
17 Craig Parker (On for Bakare, 81)

Thurrock: Craig Holloway, Anthony Furlonge, Nathan Ashton, Louis Baucote, Luke I’Anson, Stuart Thurgood, Sam Cutler (Warren Goodhind, 88), Paul Terry (C), Alex Osborn, Drewe Broughton (Lee Boylan, 56), Ahmed Deen (Jamie Davis, 77). Unused Substitutes: Ben Bowditch, David Hughes.

Bookings: City: Cornhill (74, foul), Bakare (78, delaying the restart of play), Rainford (90+1, foul). Thurrock: Terry (14, foul), Osborn (19, foul), Furlonge (31, foul), Cutler (58, foul), Ashton (62, foul).

Referee: Adrian Quelch (Thatcham).

Assistant Referees: Anthony Da Costa (Cambridgeshire) and Jonathan Burridge (Cambridge).

Attendance: 729.

City Man of the Match: Adam Tann.