Abbey in the Spring - stats and report

[Dagger03]

Tuesday 19^th January 2010 – ESC

 

WALTHAM ABBEY 0 AFC HORNCHURCH 1

 

 

WA – Harry Ricketts – Jordon Bostock – George Chana – Lee White – Andy Keepence – Dave Ayres – Marc Sontag – James Elmes – Billy Holland – Harry Elmes – Darren Gayle

 

Subs – Xaniel Doku for Gayle 69 – Tom Bailey for White 88– Matt Attard – Jack Daveney

 

 

 

AFCH – Darren Behcet – Micthell Stuart-Evans - Billy Coyne –- Ronnie Fletcher –Elliot Styles © - Jamie Dormer - Jonathan Hunt - Mark Janney – Jo Flack – Duane Jackman – Michael Spencer

 

Subs – Ben Boyce for Janney 74 – Jonathan Spencer for Flack 84 – Mark Goodfellow - Michael Bowditch

 

 

 

Scorer – Jo Flack 64

 

Attendance 45 (120 from Hornchurch)

 

Duration 46.15 + 49.24

 

Weather – 5 degrees, slightly misty, wind speed 5 mph

 

Bookings – Ayres 45 (W) – Jonathan Spencer 88 (H) – Behcet 90+2 (H)

 

Officials – T Ramsey with N Bond and J Garwood

 

Colours – W – green and white hoops / white / green

 

H – blue and white stripes / blue / blue

 

 

 

 

 

WALTHAM ABBEY 0 AFC HORNCHURCH 1

 

With robins singing on the approach road, and sparrows chirruping cheerfully throughout the evening, Spring is on the way – and for Abbey this was their first match for so long that their own supporters had forgotten how to find the ground. The attendance was 45 which was approximately half the number of cars in the car park, as many chose to remain in the bar.

 

 

For those that did go inside the ground it was an excellent end to end match played in difficult conditions. Abbey kicked towards the allotment end of the ground in the first half and a James Elmes corner forced Darren Behcet into early action, when he rose well to punch the ball away. Urchins retaliated with a corner of their own, which Jonathan Hunt swerved over and Andy Keepence cleared. Urchins nearly took the lead following an excellent build up, started by Billy Coyne, who played the ball across the field to Mark Janney on the right. Janney floated the ball over to Duane Jackman, who touched back to Jo Flack, and back a few yards to Michael Spencer, whose cross was deflected for a corner by Jordan Bostock. Hunt took the kick, and Ronnie Fletcher’s header was cleared off the line.

 

 

Jackman headed over from a Hunt free kick and a minute later it was Hunt again with the free kick which this time Jackman tried to pull the ball back across goal and George Chana played out for another corner. Hunt’s kick was cleared by Keepence, and this led to Abbey’s best chance of the match for the long ball dropped invitingly in front of Billy Holland who ran on and chipped Behcet from thirty yards. The ball rose high in the air, bounced once and then hit the underside of the bar, with Mitchell Stuart-Evans racing back to kick clear. A free kick just outside the area looked dangerous, with Hunt lurking, but it was Jamie Dormer who stepped up to hammer his shot into the wall. Abbey had another good chance when James Elmes’ corner found an unmarked Darren Gayle, but his shot was too high and the ball disappeared into oblivion, which in turn caused some concern as this was the sixth ball that had gone sailing out of the ground. The other five had all vanished into the direction of the river, and are believed to have been taken by the otters who frequent the banks.

 

 

Billy Coyne cleared from Holland, and three more Hunt corners came in quick succession, and when the third was cleared, the ball was returned by Michael Spencer to Duane Jackman who ran on but directed his shot inches wide of the post. Another Hunt corner was cleared by Bostock, and a Hunt free kick led to yet another corner. Hunt as usual took the kick and found Jackman was played through from the half clearance. Duane’s pace took him clear of the defence but his shot was once again inches wide of the post. Right on half time Duane Jackman again broke through and was pulled down but despite the loud penalty appeals play continued.

 

 

The second half started in the same way as the first half with a first minute corner to the home side, which James Elmes took and Stuart-Evans cleared. At the other end a Hunt free kick led to another corner which was followed by another corner, both of which were comfortably cleared, and then Hunt sent Jo Flack clear, but Jo was forced wide and his shot was saved by Harry Ricketts. A minute later a similar move saw Ricketts again save from Flack, whilst at the other end, Behcet had to punch clear from James Elmes corner. As Urchins stepped up the pressure, it was Michael Spencer who started the move which led to the only goal of the match. His pass to Dormer allowed Dormer to create an opening for JO FLACK out on the left and close to the line. Jo moved in and then from what seemed like an impossible angle he calmly stroked the ball past three defenders and into the net, to send 200 Urchins wild with delight.

 

 

Jackman then put Jo Flack through and Jo’s hard drive skimmed the bar. Harry Elmes went close for Abbey, whist Xaniel Doku eluded Ronnie Fletcher on the left, but his shot hit the side netting. Ben Boyce came on and twice went close, and Jonathan Spencer replaced Jo Flack. With five minutes of stoppage time Abbey tried hard to get the equaliser but the closest they came were two crosses which Darren Behcet had no difficulty in fielding.