Island of barbed wire - stats and report

[Dagger03]

Three captains, barbed wire, electric fences, and a truely magnificent display by the Urchins - sorry it's late, I have not got a PC at the moment, my old one blew up.

 

Saturday 12^th December 2009

 

ASHFORD TOWN 1 HORNCHURCH 1

 

 

 

ATM – Craig Ross – Brett Cooper – Ricardo Joseph – Guy Hollis – Vinnie O’Sullivan – Adam Logie – Paul Johnson © - Scott Weight – Brian Haule – Scott Harris – Warren Harris

 

Subs – Davis Haule for Weight 76 – Charlie McCarthy – Nick Salapatas for Logie 87 – Jamie Lawrence – Paul Burgess

 

 

 

Note – the team sheet listed Byron Harrison as number ten for Ashford – this was a mistake and was rectified before the start.

 

‘

 

 

 

HFC – Darren Behcet – Ronnie Fletcher - Billy Coyne –Mark Goodfellow – Elliot Styles © - Jamie Dormer – Jonathan Hunt - Mark Janney – Jo Flack - Wayne Gray – Andy Tomlinson

 

Subs - Duane Jackman for Goodfellow 72 - Mitchell Stuart-Evans for Styles 62 - Jon Green – Jonathan Spencer – Michael Spencer

 

 

 

Scorers – Warren Harris 56 (ATM) – Jamie Dormer 73 (H)

 

Bookings – Cooper 30 (ATM) – Logie 74 (ATM)

 

Attendance 118 – 100 from Hornchurch

 

Duration 46.57 + 49.58

 

Officials – S Phipps with S Jack and J Livinston

 

Weather 7 degrees, clear, wind speed 5 mph

 

Colours – ATM tangerine and white stripes / black / white

 

H – blue and white stripes / blue / blue

 

Admission £9 / £5 – programme £2

 

 

 

ASHFORD TOWN 1 HORNCHURCH 1

 

This was the first match after the most important meeting in the history of Hornchurch FC and enthusiasm was at an all time high – positive vibes everywhere – except for one writer on the forum who wrote under the pseudonym of sceptic, although most true supporters preferred to call him septic, and needless to say, he was not here today. But who knows who he is? More importantly, who cares?

 

 

 

The Ashford ground is heavily fortified – to the west there is a large moat, one mile in diameter, locally known as Staines reservoir. To the north is an airfield, where a succession of jumbos came in, and in between this and the ground is a mass of glutinous mud, so deep that no one has yet found the bottom. To the south is the one and only entrance. And to the east are the kerosene tanks, with barbed wire and electric fences in between these and the pitch. There were no ballboys as none had ever returned when the ball went into the kerosene tanks.

 

 

 

Hornchurch were without Ben Boyce, suspended, and Michael Spencer and Duane Jackman were both unable to start, as they were carrying injuries. Jo Flack was back in the line up following his injury, and three players – Reece Prestedge, Paul Shave, and Kris Lee, have now left, Kris joining Brentwood. Reece played seven matches, scoring once, Paul 33matches and eight goals, and Kris 56 goals in 150 appearances.

 

 

 

And so, sans septic, mais avec beaucoup des avions, the match commenced. Ashford kicked towards the moat, in brilliant sunshine, which glared low over the ground, and a Brett Cooper cross was directed wide of the goal. Urchins quickly replied when Wayne Gray was pulled down as he went to meet a through ball and Jonathan Hunt’s free kick drifted too close to Craig Ross, who saved comfortably

 

 

 

A long throw from Guy Hollis was headed away by Mark Goodfellow, and the ball was powered forward to Gray who was again brought down, as the news of his five goals in two matches had reached Ashford and they were taking no chances. Hunt played the free kick short to Jamie Dormer, and his long curving centre was met by Elliot Styles, who powered his header just inches wide of the post. Andy Tomlinson then took a Ronnie Fletcher pass and made ground on the wing, before touching the ball inside to Mark Janney whose first time volley skimmed the post. Janney again, this time playing the ball through the middle, and keeper Ross rushed out to save at the feet of Jo Flack. Janney was then brought down and from the free kick, taken by Jonathan Hunt, Vinnie O’Sullivan back headed the ball and Cooper did well to save under the bar.

 

 

 

A long throw by Hollis was punched away by Darren Behcet and the ball was played up field where Gray slotted it through to Flack and again Ross just won the race to the ball. When Andy Tomlinson was scythed down by Cooper, Andy lay prone for some lengthy time, receiving treatment from Richard Harper, whilst he referee dithered for a long time before eventually deciding on a yellow card, with one hundred Urchins all anticipating a straight red. Andy eventually limped off, and Billy Coyne took the free kick, finding Dormer, who was promptly chopped down. Hunt took the free kick, from forty yards out, and Flack jumped over the ball, as it came in low, and keeper Ross made an excellent save, grabbing the ball at the second attempt right on the goal line.

 

 

 

Ashford came more into the match, and a good run by Cooper – but why was he still on the pitch? – saw a low cross to Paul Johnson, who however fired his shot wide of the goal. Johnson then won a free kick, just ten yards outside the area, and he took the kick himself, sending the ball over the bar, out of the ground, and it disappeared towards Staines reservoir, forcing a jumbo to take evasive manoeuvres. Warren Harris cut in from the left and was tackled by Fletcher, to concede a corner. Warren Harris took the kick and Behcet saved.

 

 

 

Jo Flack was played clear by Billy Coyne and his shot hit the foot of the post, whilst the miss of the match came right on half time when Cooper made ground once again and picked out Johnson, well placed on the edge of the area, and Johnson’s shot sailed high over the bar, out of the ground, and once again the ball disappeared into the distance.

 

 

 

Second half and Urchins started well, and Gray made ground on the wing, but was tackled by Cooper, to win a corner. Hunt found Dormer with the kick and Jamie guided his shot just a fraction wide of the goal. But Ashford took a surprise lead after Dormer had passed to Hunt, who was dispossessed inside his own half, and the ball was promptly played deep upfield to WARREN HARRIS who ran on and fired his shot low into the net, the goal being received by almost complete silence around the ground. Elliot Styles, victim of some hard tackles, and limping badly, was replaced by Mitchell Stuart-Evans, and Mark Goodfellow took over as captain, and as Urchins regrouped, Ashford had their best spell of the match. Warren Harris surged down the wing and cut inside, and his shot was brilliantly saved by a full length Darren Behcet, with Ronnie Fletcher completing the clearance. Billy Coyne then tried a long range shot which Ross saved under the bar, and Ashford nearly went two up when Behcet punched away a high cross, and Brian Haule was first to the loose ball, and his prodded shot slowly rolled inches past the post. A Coyne centre found Flack, whose header was well saved by Ross, and a thunderous shot from Dormer forced home keeper Ross into a magnificent save to keep the ball out, and a massive goalmouth scramble ensued, before Ricardo Joseph played it out for a corner. Hunt floated the ball over and an in form Ross saved well.

 

 

 

Urchins won two corners in succession as they pile don the pressure, and before the second corner was taken Mark Goodfellow went off, and on came Duane Jackman, with the captaincy now passing to Mark Janney. Urchins now had three players up front. Jonathan Hunt took the corner from the left, and JAMIE DORMER hammered the ball home amid a packed goalmouth, to level the score, and to send one hundred Urchins into mass hysteria.

 

 

 

And then came the moment which should have won the match for Hornchurch. Suring forward, Andy Tomlinson sent over a long cross for Duane Jackman, who was impeded time and again, but still managed to get in a header which skimmed the bar, with Jim McFarlane leading the mass appeals for what was the most blatant penalty in the history of the Isthmian League – yet the referee awarded a goal kick, to roars of disapproval.

 

 

 

Mitchell Stuart-Evans found Jackman, who played the ball in front of Wayne Gray, but Ross raced out of his area to kick clear. Jo Flack then moved in at speed from the left and his shot beat Ross only to be kicked off the line by O’Sullivan. Tomlinson sent Flack away and his shot was just over the bar, and Stuart-Evans played Janney clear, but he was crowded out by three defenders. Only five minutes were added on, despite the numerous stoppages, and time wasting, and Urchins were still bombarding the home goal when the final whistle went.

 

 

 

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