Hornchurch 2 Horsham 1

[Dagger03]

Saturday 13^th March 2010

 

HORNCHURCH 2 HORSHAM 1

 

 

HFC – Darren Behcet – Jonathan Spencer – Billy Coyne – Ronnie Fletcher – Mitchell Stuart-Evans – Jamie Dormer – Andy Tomlinson © - Soz Yao –Rikki Burbridge – Ross Wall - Michael Spencer

 

Subs –Herve Botshebe – Ryan Kaylor - Jo Flack –Mervin Abraham for Wall 86 – Tambesong Eyong for

 

Dormer 59

 

 

 

H – Josh Pelling – Anthony Acheampong – Chris Riley – Ben Andrew – Sam Page © - Jack Page – Steve Sergent – Sam Tucknott – Claude Seanla – Pat Harding – Mark Knee

 

Subs – Steve Davies for Tucknott 67 – Tony Nwachukwu for Knee 88 – James Nicholls for Acheampong 67 – Ian Payne – Adam Hutching

 

 

 

Scorers – Michael Spencer 19 (H) – Mark Knee 35 (Hors) – Rikki Burbridge 61 (H)

 

Booking - Knee 56 (Hors)

 

Attendance 224

 

Officials – J Magill with N Olamini and A Snell

 

Duration 46.03 + 49.41

 

Weather – 9 degrees, overcast, wind speed 6 mph

 

Colours – H – red and white stripes / black / red

 

Horsham – green and yellow halves / green / yellow

 

 

 

 

 

HORNCHURCH 2 HORSHAM 1

 

News on injuries is that Elliot Styles has had stitches in the head wound, Jonathan Hunt is likely to be out for several weeks with his leg injury, whilst the Chelmsford player Ricky Modeste has now been released from hospital, after treatment for three fractured teeth, one broken tooth, and mouth injuries.

 

 

 

On an overcast day, and on a heavy pitch, Urchins kicked towards the windmill end of the ground in the first half, and could have taken the lead in the first minute when Ross Wall sent Soz Yao away, but Mark Knee covered well to tackle. Rikki Burbridge then won a high ball to nod the ball on out to Michael Spencer, whose cross found Soz Yao, but Chris Riley got in a good tackle to prevent a shot on goal. Horsham were rarely in the match as an attacking force, and the closest they came was when Riley hammered a hopeful long range shot high and wide. Yao then sent a through pass to Ross Wall but Ben Andrew came over to cover and clear the danger. A dipping free kick from Andy Tomlinson found Rikki Burbridge whose header skimmed the bar, and when Jamie Dormer put Michael Spencer clear on the left, Michael turned the ball in to Ross Wall and Ross hit a hard drive just wide of the post.

 

 

 

Hornchurch continued to press and took the lead when Ronnie Fletcher cleared the ball to Jamie Dormer who sent MICHAEL SPENCER away on the left. Michael turned inside and moved in, then hit a hard cross into the goalmouth, and the ball cannoned off of a surprised Sam Page and into the net. Jonathan Spencer then played a high centre into the goalmouth where Pelling managed to beat Michael Spencer to the ball. A long lobbed pass by Billy Coyne reached Burbridge who outjumped keeper Pelling, to head the ball goalwards, and Anthony Acheampong raced back to clear the ball as it rolled tantalisingly slowly towards the net.

 

 

 

Mitchell Stuart-Evans started the next move which saw Fletcher, Yao and Wall combine well, for Ross to turn the ball into a crowded goalmouth where Acheampong eventually hacked the ball away to safety. Burbridge sent Michael Spencer away on the left and a corner resulting, which Andy Tomlinson sent over and Pelling caught in fine style. With Urchins almost in total command, it was something of a surprise when Horsham levelled, following a defensive mix up which allowed MARK KNEE to break through and calmly place the ball wide of Darren Behcet and into the net. Rikki Burbridge almost restored the lead with a long range shot which grazed the post.

 

 

 

Michael Spencer moved along the left at the start of the second half and crossed into the middle, where Sam Page just beat Rikki Burbridge to the ball. A Michael Spencer throw reached Andy Tomlinson, who took over as captain in the absence of Elliot Styles, and Andy’s shot was blocked, and although the ball rebounded back to Andy, his follow up shot was also blocked. Jonathan Spencer, looking very confident at right back, then fed a good pass to Ross Wall, who ran on, but fired his shot wide of the post.

 

 

 

A Jonathan Spencer cross was well held by Josh Pelling, but the visitors were now coming much more into the match and Sam Tucknott set off on a long run before turning the ball in to Claude Seanla whose first time shot brought out the save of the match from Darren Behcet. Behcet then held on to a Mark Knee free kick, and then made another incredible save from a Seanla header. Darren promptly played the ball long for Soz Yao to chase and Soz left two defenders sozzled before crossing for Ross Wall whose header looped over the bar. Horsham pressed forward and Pat Harding fired a shot wide, whilst Seanla was sent clear through but, hard pressed by Mitchell Stuart-Evans, he hurriedly hit his shot wide of the post. Ronnie Fletcher then stemmed the wave of attacks with some solid interceptions, and Tambeson Eyong came on for a limping Jamie Dormer. With his first touch Tambesong flicked the ball out to the wing where Michael Spencer weaved this way along the left, turned inside, took on two defenders, and calmly laid the ball into the path of RIKKI BURBRIDGE who equally calmly hammered home his first goal since returning to the Urchins.

 

 

 

Ross Wall created an opening for Eyong, who powered through in style, and his hard shot rebounded to Tomlinson, whose follow up shot was blocked. Eyong dominated the middle of the pitch and many of the Urchins attacking moved stemmed from Tambeson, whose speed and sheer power created havoc in the visiting defence. Harding was given a half chance when the ball fell favourably for him to run on to, but Mitchell Stuart-Evans was quick to tackle and clear. When Jack Page conceded a free kick just outside of the area, Tomlinson drifted the ball too close to keeper Pelling, and Hornchurch regained the ascendency, with Eyong looking totally in command of the midfield. It was Eyong who won a free kick which Tomlinson took and although Rikki Burbridge headed the ball into the net, the whistle went for an infringement. Billy Coyne then found Tomlinson who slotted through to Michael Spencer who again weaved in from the left and lobbed the ball over the keeper but on to the roof of the net. Ross Wall almost made it three with an excellent shot, but Pelling saved well. Mervin Abraham then replaced Ross Wall for the final few minutes, during which Hornchurch had little difficulty in holding out, for three very welcome points.

[Photourchin]

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