REPORT BY COLIN ROGERS

Harwich had the strong wind in their favour during the first half and started well.
In the 10th minute, Louie Bloom (pictured) went close but just could not get his header over the advancing home goalkeeper. The Shrimpers then had another chance when Zac Pedro crossed for Joe Knight to shoot just wide.
However, in the 18th minute it was Hullbridge who took the lead when, to the surprise of players and onlookers, the referee adjudged that there had been a holding offence and awarded a penalty kick from which Ellis Devereux scored.
Harwich came back strongly, winning a corner, with Pedro's in-swinging kick striking the crossbar.
The Shrimpers then equalised in the 39th minute when Bloom spotted the keeper off his line and cleverly used the wind to dip his 40-yard shot into the net.
With half time approaching, Harwich came within a whisker of taking the lead when, from their goalkeeper Brad Cook's long goal kick, Knight's volley hit the crossbar.
Now facing the wind, Harwich held their own at the start of the second half but in the 58th minute Patrick Da Lomba put Hullbridge back in front when, from close range, he converted a cross from the right flank.
Undeterred, 5 minutes later Harwich levelled the score at 2-2 when Knight was brought down and got up to smash home the resultant penalty kick.
Only another 4 minutes passed when disaster struck for Harwich. Cook had the ball in his arms before putting it on the ground and on his blindside, Devereux calmly kicked the ball into the empty net to restore Hullbridge's lead.
Harwich again returned to the attack with Liam White's long-range shot going just over and then Knight playing in Bloom, whose shot the home keeper did well to tip the ball over the crossbar. Next, Knight was thwarted by another good save at the near post.
In the 84th minute, Darren Phillips' close-range header was deemed by the assistant referee to have crossed the goal-line despite strong Harwich protests to the contrary.
The Shrimpers' hopes of salvaging a point were raised in the 95th minute when Jensen Goode played in substitute Luke Mayhew, who beat the full-back before reducing the home side's lead to 4-3 with a well-taken finish.
For the remaining 3 minutes Harwich pressed forward relentlessly but Hullbridge managed to hold out and take all 3 points.
After the final whistle, Harwich learnt that the day's results elsewhere mean that, with 6 matches remaining, they had achieved their 1st season's initial objective of retaining their place in the Essex Senior League.
Harwich team: Brad Cook, Tom Watkins, Charlie Canham, Jack Wood, Tiwa Odufuye, Tyler Sullivan, Liam White, Jensen Goode, Louie Bloom, Zac Pedro and Joe Knight. Subs: Luke Mayhew, Luke Hopwood, Oakley McNair (all used) and Reece Harte (not used).